GRYLLOTALPIDAE: MOLE CRICKETS
Mole crickets, as you may suspect from their common name, are a group of robust, burrowing orthopterans. They are typically quite large and have greatly thickened, shove-like forelegs which are used for digging. Males are capable of flight and may cover considerable distances in search of a female. Nocturnal in behaviour, they are rarely observed, but are not unduly rare. They are omnivorous, taken annelids and insect larvae as well as plant matter. Eggs are laid in an underground chamber, taking about 3 weeks to hatch. Nymphs pass through 6 to 8 moults before reaching adhulthood.
Click on the images to enlarge them.

Online Resources
Mole Cricket Knowledgebase - Good background information on Mole Crickets with the emphasis on US species.
Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law. Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay. Photographs on this page were taken by Paul Smith, Karina Atkinson and Teatske Nieuborg and are used with their permission.
FIGURE 1 - Unidentified sp. - near Bahía Negra, Departamento Alto Paraguay (Teatske Nieuborg 2007).
FIGURE 2 - Unidentified sp. - Arroyos y Esteros km100, Departamento Cordillera (Paul Smith November 2008).
FIGURE 3 - Unidentified sp. - Tres Gigantes, Departamento Alto Paraguay (Paul Smith August 2011).
FIGURE 4 - Unidentified sp. - Laguna Blanca, Departamento San Pedro (Karina Atkinson May 2010 - Para La Tierra).
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