Common Straw Grasshopper vs small tortoiseshell

Euchorthippus declivus compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Common Straw Grasshopper is Least Concern while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Straw Grasshopper	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Orthoptera (Orthoptera)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Acrididae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Euchorthippus	Aglais
Species	Euchorthippus declivus	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Straw Grasshopper and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Common Straw Grasshopper

LC — Least Concern

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Straw Grasshopper	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Straw Grasshopper

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

small tortoiseshell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (41 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Common Straw Grasshopper

<em>Euchorthippus declivus</em>, the common straw grasshopper, is an orthopteran insect in the family Acrididae, order Orthoptera. It is found primarily in dry grasslands, steppe habitats, and open scrubland across much of central and southern Europe and western Asia. The species is a typical grassland acridid, feeding on grasses and herbaceous plants, and is active during warmer months of the year. Males are notably smaller than females, and the species produces stridulatory sounds used in mate attraction, a characteristic of the family. <em>Euchorthippus declivus</em> plays an important role in grassland food webs as both herbivore and prey for birds, reptiles, and invertebrate predators. Geographic range data beyond its general European distribution remain incompletely documented at the global scale. Biological traits including average lifespan, body measurements under field conditions, and detailed dietary specificity remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The species is currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating no immediate conservation threats, though grassland habitat loss across Europe may pose long-term pressures on local populations.

small tortoiseshell

small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.