Quality and status of environment, specific habitats and their changes may indicate several animal groups by their occurrence and abundance. Whereas the vertebrates (e.g. birds, mammals) indicate more large habitats on an area of several hectares and square kilometers, some insect groups can indicate the habitat quality on an area several square meters (e.g. wetlands and xerotem habitats). Many Orthoptera species as well as assemblages are such habitat indicators.
Although in the tropical regions of the world this insect group can sometimes make human life unpleasant, in Europe and our country in Slovakia they are mainly the object of learning the principles of how nature works and its protection. In addition, the aesthetic dimension is undoubtedly associated with the grasshoppers and crickets. See for yourself on our website.
Altogether 129 Orthoptera species, belonging in 69 genera and 8 families were found in Slovakia. Within them the suborder Ensifera (bush-crickets and crickets) includes 59 species in 34 genera and 5 families and Caelifera (grasshoppers) includes 70 species in 35 genera and 3 families.
The donut chart shows the species number in all the eight Orthoptera families in Slovakia.
