Great green bush-cricket (Tettigonia viridissima)

The great green bush-cricket (Tettigonia viridissima) is one of the largest and most interesting inhabitants of our mountain meadows and shrubbery. Although it is often mistakenly called a grasshopper in colloquial language, it is actually a true bush-cricket, which is most easily recognized by its extremely long antennae that greatly exceed the body length. True grasshoppers always have short antennae, whereas long antennae and wings extending far beyond the abdomen are the main identifying features of this mighty green insect.
The photograph shows a female, confirmed by the long, sabre-shaped ovipositor at the end of the abdomen, used for laying eggs. Males announce themselves on warm summer days and evenings with a characteristic piercing chirp produced by rubbing their front wings. Their bright green color serves as excellent camouflage, as they almost completely disappear in tall grasses and among foliage from the eyes of predators.
In the mountain environment, it is considered a beneficial species, as it is a skilled predator that feeds mainly on other insects, flies, and caterpillars, only rarely resorting to plant food. It is completely harmless to hikers, but can defend itself with a strong bite of its jaws in close contact, so it is best to observe it calmly. Due to its size and characteristic posture, it is always an interesting photographic subject for all nature lovers visiting the sunny slopes of our hills.