Aug 22, 2011
BUSH CRICKET Ephippiger ephippiger ©d_smets
Species of this genus are mainly present in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, Spain and Switzerland. This photo was shot in Belgium see more photos by Dirk Smets here
In this genus grasshoppers have very small wings, the pronotum resembles a saddle (the Latin name ephippium means 'saddle of horse '). The atrophied wings of Ephippiger species are unfit to flight and only used for the emission of sounds (stridulation)
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephippiger
Other posts:
Stalk-eyed Fly - pushing eye distance from the head to new limits (also video)
Ornate Crocodile Planthopper
The long necked wonder - the Giraffe Weevil