mole cricket

mole cricket, (family Gryllotalpidae), any of about 65 species of insects (order Orthoptera) that are sometimes placed in the true cricket family, Gryllidae. The common name is derived from the insect’s molelike appearance and underground habits. The mole cricket has forelegs modified for shovelling, a cylindrical body, a pointed head, and a velvety coat of hairlike setae. It burrows into moist soil to depths of 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 inches).

The mole cricket has wings and may leave its burrow at night. The female lacks a long ovipositor for egg-laying. Eggs are placed in underground chambers that sometimes include plant material, which serves as food for newly hatched nymphs. Unlike most insects, one European mole cricket species (Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa) guards its eggs and young. The mole cricket feeds on roots and, when present in sufficiently large numbers, injures crops, turf, and gardens. The Puerto Rico mole cricket (Scapteriscus vicinus), also known as a changa, can be a serious pest. The male mole cricket’s song is deep-toned and regularly repeated.