Steppe Mole Cricket vs Ornate Pygmy Grasshopper

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Steppe Mole Cricket Ornate Pygmy Grasshopper
Scientific Name Gryllotalpa stepposa Tetrix ornata
Order Orthoptera Orthoptera
Family Gryllotalpidae Tetrigidae
Size 35-45 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Grasslands Woodlands
Diet Root Feeders Omnivores
Regions Eastern Europe, Central Asia North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Steppe Mole Cricket

A mole cricket of the Eurasian steppe belt distinguished from other European species by its song and chromosome number. It inhabits drier habitats than most mole crickets.

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Did You Know?

It can only be reliably distinguished from the European mole cricket by analyzing the pulse rate of its calling song.

Ornate Pygmy Grasshopper

A tiny, intricately patterned groundhopper found on bare sandy soils in North American prairies and open woodlands. Its flattened, cryptic body blends perfectly with gravel and dry soil surfaces.

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Did You Know?

When disturbed it can leap into a short flight that ends with a tumbling landing, making it very hard to track.