This image made it to honourable mention at the Green Camera 2023, one of the most prestigious competitions for nature photography in the low lands (Netherlands and Belgium). The male golden grasshopper is a rewarding subject due to its fluorescent golden-green colour. In the right light, this makes them both magnificently coloured and particularly well camouflaged in the grass. The reddish-brown touches also make the creatures blend into brambles. This specimen was warming up in the early morning sun in one such bramble, where there was also hedge vetch growing through it. The whole makes for a dazzling and pleasant picture.
The photo was taken in Amelscheid, in the Belgian Ardennes just on the border with Germany. The wet meadows along the numerous streams in the area provide an ideal habitat for this beautiful field grasshopper. Moreover, it is also a beautiful region for hiking.
Maarten is a passionate hobby photographer with an eye for the world of the small. On his weekly blog www.natuurvertelsels he brings a new short story with facts and pictures about nature right in front of your nose every Sunday. He has already won numerous photo competitions with his images.. Read more…