Japanese Blister Beetle vs Indian Mole Cricket

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Blister Beetle Indian Mole Cricket
Scientific Name Epicauta gorhami Gryllotalpa krishnani
Order Coleoptera Orthoptera
Family Meloidae Gryllotalpidae
Size 12-18 mm 25-35 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Predators Root Feeders
Regions East Asia, Japan/Korea India
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Japanese Blister Beetle

A black and orange striped blister beetle found in Japan and Korea. Known as 'tsuchi-hanmyo.' Contains cantharidin, a blistering agent, in its body fluids as a defense against predators.

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Did You Know?

When disturbed, this beetle exudes hemolymph containing cantharidin from its leg joints, which can cause painful blisters on human skin.

Indian Mole Cricket

A mole cricket endemic to the Indian subcontinent found in irrigated crop fields. It damages seedling roots in rice nurseries and vegetable plots.

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Did You Know?

Farmers in southern India locate its burrows by following the churring song to the source and flooding the tunnel to extract it.