Celes variabilis (Pallas, 1771)

Nutrition:
The animals feed mainly on plant parts, but also dead animals (insects, snails).

Habitat:
Celes variabilis colonizes pronounced xerothermic habitats that are often interspersed with stones and bushes. It also occurs in vast habitats usually only in very small areas.

Life cycle:
The adults are found from the summer to autumn.

Endangerment factors:
Celes variabilis belongs to the most endangered grasshoppers of Europe, because it has very high habitat requirements. Large dry habitats decrease across whole Europe continuedly. In Greece, they are endangered especially by overbuilding, agriculture and ever more roads.

Remarks:
Celes variabilis is still found mainly in the Balkans, where I observed it in Greece in the Askio Mountains near Kozani and on Mount Vitsi north of Kastoria. Small population groups further exist from NE-Spain to the east Pyrenees, in Southern France (southern Massif Central) and e.g. Hungary. Otherwise (as in eastern Austria), Celes variabilis is already largely distinct. Outside Europe this grasshopper is locally observed in parts of Asia.