Southern Mole Cricket vs Elongate Paederine
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Southern Mole Cricket | Elongate Paederine |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Neoscapteriscus borellii | Lathrobium elongatum |
| Order | Orthoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Gryllotalpidae | Staphylinidae |
| Size | 25-35 mm | 7-9 mm |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Root Feeders | Root Feeders |
| Regions | South America (native), Southern United States (invasive), Australia (invasive) | Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Southern Mole Cricket
A South American mole cricket that has become an invasive turf pest in the southern United States and Australia. It tunnels through soil near the surface, severing grass roots and leaving raised trails.
Did You Know?
It can fly strongly at night and is attracted to lights, which is how it colonized new areas after its accidental introduction.
Elongate Paederine
A very slender, reddish-brown paederine rove beetle that lives deep within waterlogged soils near streams. Its extremely narrow body is adapted for burrowing through saturated soil.
Did You Know?
This beetle can survive prolonged submersion in water, breathing through a plastron of air trapped by microscopic hairs on its body surface.