Alpine Click Beetle vs Australian Mole Cricket

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Alpine Click Beetle	Australian Mole Cricket
Scientific Name	Hypnoidus rivularius	Gryllotalpa pluvialis
Order	Coleoptera	Orthoptera
Family	Elateridae	Gryllotalpidae
Size	5-7 mm	30-45 mm
Habitat	Mountains	Rivers & Streams
Diet	Root Feeders	Root Feeders
Regions	Northern Europe, Alps, Scandinavia	Australia
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Alpine Click Beetle

A small, dark click beetle found in damp alpine and subalpine habitats. Its larvae develop in moist soil among grass roots.

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Like all click beetles, it can launch itself into the air with an audible click to escape predators.

A native Australian mole cricket that emerges from the soil in large numbers after heavy rains. It is attracted to lights on warm, wet nights.

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Its species name pluvialis means rain-loving, referring to its habit of mass emergence after heavy downpours.