Changa Mole Cricket vs Spring Field Cricket
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Changa Mole Cricket | Spring Field Cricket |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Scapteriscus didactylus | Gryllus veletis |
| Order | Orthoptera | Orthoptera |
| Family | Gryllotalpidae | Gryllidae |
| Size | 30-40 mm | 15-25 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Farmland |
| Diet | Root Feeders | Seed Feeders |
| Regions | Caribbean, South America | Eastern North America |
| 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.
Did You Know?
Its name changa comes from the Puerto Rican Spanish word for the insect, where it historically devastated sugarcane plantations.
Spring Field Cricket
A black field cricket that overwinters as a late-instar nymph and matures in spring. Its early-season singing distinguishes it from the fall field cricket.
Did You Know?
It and the fall field cricket were long considered the same species until differences in life cycle timing revealed they are reproductively isolated.