Mormon Cricket vs Two-clawed Mole Cricket
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mormon Cricket | Two-clawed Mole Cricket |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anabrus simplex | Neoscapteriscus didactylus |
| Order | Orthoptera | Orthoptera |
| Family | Tettigoniidae | Gryllotalpidae |
| Size | 30-50 mm | 28-38 mm |
| Habitat | Mountains | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Carrion Feeders | Predators |
| Regions | North America | South America, Caribbean |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Mormon Cricket
A large, flightless shield-backed katydid native to western North America. Despite its name it is not a true cricket but rather a katydid.
Did You Know?
In 1848 a massive Mormon cricket outbreak threatened settler crops in Utah until flocks of California gulls arrived and devoured them, an event celebrated as the Miracle of the Gulls.
Two-clawed Mole Cricket
A large South American mole cricket recognized by its two-clawed digging foreleg. It is both a turf pest and a predator of soil insects.
Did You Know?
The two large claws on its forelegs work like scissors, making it one of the most efficient diggers among mole crickets.