The tide is high, but it’s holding on: response of the grey bush-cricket, Platycleis albopunctata, to a storm surge

Abstract

Coastal insects may be highly susceptible to population loss due to catastrophic inundation events. At two locations on the east coast of the UK (nature reserve and naturists’ beach), the response of the Nationally Scarce grey bush-cricket,Platycleis albopunctata, to the December 2013 storm surge was determined from long-term transect monitoring of stridulating males. In the post-surge seasons, males were more frequent on the back dunes, which would have been largely unsubmerged during the tidal event. Lower numbers ofP. albopunctatawere recorded on the fore dunes after 2013, probably due to submergence during the surge tide and extensive shingle deposition on its marram-grass,Ammophila arenaria, and open ground habitats smothering overwintering eggs. The heterogeneity of the dune habitat with slacks and ridges may render this species resilient to storm surges.