Japanese Cave Cricket vs Pitted Ambrosia Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Cave Cricket Pitted Ambrosia Beetle
Scientific Name Diestrammena japanica Cnesinus strigicollis
Order Orthoptera Coleoptera
Family Rhaphidophoridae Curculionidae
Size 15-25 mm 2-3mm
Habitat Caves Gardens
Diet Fungus Feeders Fungus Feeders
Regions Japan North America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Japanese Cave Cricket

A large cave cricket native to Japan where it inhabits natural caves and man-made tunnels. It has very long antennae that can be three times its body length.

💡

Did You Know?

Its antennae can detect air currents from predators in total darkness.

Pitted Ambrosia Beetle

A tiny dark brown bark beetle that cultivates fungal gardens inside its tunnels. It introduces ambrosia fungi into the wood which it and its larvae eat.

💡

Did You Know?

It is one of many beetle species that practice true agriculture cultivating fungal crops inside tree tunnels for food.