Heart and Dart vs Mole Cricket

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Heart and Dart Mole Cricket
Scientific Name Agrotis exclamationis Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa
Order Lepidoptera Orthoptera
Family Noctuidae Gryllotalpidae
Size 32-40 mm wingspan 35-46 mm
Habitat Farmland Rivers & Streams
Diet Root Feeders Root Feeders
Regions Europe, temperate Asia Europe, Asia, Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Heart and Dart

An extremely common brown moth named for the heart and dart-shaped markings on its forewing. It is often the most abundant species in light traps across Europe.

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Did You Know?

A single light trap can capture over a thousand individuals in one night during peak emergence.

Mole Cricket

Extraordinary burrowers with powerful shovel-like forelegs adapted for digging. Males construct horn-shaped burrows that amplify their mating calls up to 600 meters.

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Did You Know?

Mole crickets build double-exponential horn-shaped burrows that act as acoustic amplifiers, broadcasting their mating calls at 90 dB — audible from 600 meters away.