Southern Mole Cricket vs Jamaican Click Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Southern Mole Cricket | Jamaican Click Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Neoscapteriscus borellii | Pyrophorus noctilucus |
| Order | Orthoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Gryllotalpidae | Elateridae |
| Size | 25-35 mm | 25-40 mm |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Farmland |
| Diet | Root Feeders | Root Feeders |
| Regions | South America (native), Southern United States (invasive), Australia (invasive) | Central America, South America |
| 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.
Jamaican Click Beetle
The brightest bioluminescent insect known. Indigenous peoples used them as temporary lanterns by placing several in a jar. Two light organs on the thorax glow intense green.
Did You Know?
This click beetle is so bright that indigenous Caribbean people used them as living lanterns — a few beetles in a perforated gourd could light a room or mark a path.