Hatching is underway!
The Conservatoire d’espaces naturels Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the Parc Animalier de la Barben, and the Citadelle de Besançon are pleased to announce the birth of Primo, a beautiful baby Crau Plain Grasshopper measuring ...
In order to ensure the proper development of the grasshopper eggs currently placed in the aviaries in the Crau, three egg pods were dissected on 15 November by Antoine Foucart, an entomologist at the CBGP joint research unit (CIRAD, INRAE, IRD, SupAgro de Montpellier).
A specialist in Orthoptera, Antoine Foucart began working on the Crau Plain Grasshopper as part of his thesis in the 1990s. His studies led to the discovery of the biology and ecology of this previously unknown species.
During regular checks of egg pods, some appear damaged for reasons that are difficult to determine: parasites, fungi, other causes? Dissecting an egg pod therefore allows us to learn more and to improve the development conditions of Crau Plain Grasshopper eggs.
During the last dissections, Antoine Foucart was able to observe that out of the 12 to 16 eggs observed in each egg pod, some were sterile and some others were completely dry.
Patience and precision are needed to perform a dissection. But what a reward when beautiful, well-developed embryos are revealed through the lens of the microscope!
According to observations made in previous years and to our current knowledge, embryos developing in eggs laid in June/July reach 70-80% of their development by November. This growth then slows down or even stops completely during part of the winter, only to resume in February and end in March before hatching in April.
We look forward to January 2023 to follow the development of this new generation of Crau Plain Grasshoppers!
Many thanks to Antoine Foucart and CIRAD/CBGP of Montpellier for this cooperation!
The Conservatoire d’espaces naturels Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the Parc Animalier de la Barben, and the Citadelle de Besançon are pleased to announce the birth of Primo, a beautiful baby Crau Plain Grasshopper measuring ...
Become a partner of the LIFE SOS Crau grasshopper Festival to be held on 13 October at the Domaine départemental des Aulnes!
Launched in 2021, the LIFE SOS Crau Plain Grasshopper project has reached the half-way stage at the start of 2024. On 27 and 28 February, the LIFE project team was visited by Gustavo Becerra Jurado from CINEA (the European executive agency ...
As part of the Life Crau grasshopper educational project, the Conservatoire d’espaces naturels Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and the Parc animalier de La Barben are offering teachers two days of free activities aimed at ...