It is found primarily in central Europe, with the closely-related species Ephippiger diurnus in the west.

[2] The habitat consists of relatively dry and sparse areas with scarce vegetation, such as heather with a few trees, where it can be found both close to the soil and higher up in the vegetation.

The saddle-backed bush cricket mainly eats insects and other small animals, but also plant parts.

For arable farmers, it is a useful animal because it lives in plants but mainly hunts for plant-dwelling (pest) insects.

The sound is clearly audible and consists of a sharp, grating squeak that sounds like tieh, but is repeated in long runs with a frequency of about one or two times per second.