Changa Mole Cricket vs Australian Mole Cricket

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Changa Mole Cricket Australian Mole Cricket
Scientific Name Scapteriscus didactylus Gryllotalpa pluvialis
Order Orthoptera Orthoptera
Family Gryllotalpidae Gryllotalpidae
Size 30-40 mm 30-45 mm
Habitat Underground Rivers & Streams
Diet Root Feeders Root Feeders
Regions Caribbean, South America Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Changa Mole Cricket

A large mole cricket native to South America that became a severe pest in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. It has only two claws on its digging forefeet.

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Did You Know?

Its name changa comes from the Puerto Rican Spanish word for the insect, where it historically devastated sugarcane plantations.

Australian Mole Cricket

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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Did You Know?

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