Valley Jerusalem Cricket vs Xya Pygmy Mole Cricket

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Valley Jerusalem Cricket Xya Pygmy Mole Cricket
Scientific Name Stenopelmatus pictus Xya pfaendleri
Order Orthoptera Orthoptera
Family Stenopelmatidae Tridactylidae
Size 30-50 mm 4-6 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Rivers & Streams
Diet Root Feeders Herbivores
Regions North America Southern Europe, Mediterranean
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Valley Jerusalem Cricket

A boldly banded Jerusalem cricket found in the arid valleys of California. Its large jaws can deliver a painful but harmless bite.

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Did You Know?

Despite its common name, it is neither from Jerusalem nor a true cricket.

Xya Pygmy Mole Cricket

A minute European pygmy mole cricket typically found on bare sandy ground near rivers. It is so small it is often confused with a small beetle.

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Did You Know?

It has tiny paddle-shaped appendages on its hind legs that serve as hydrofoils for skipping across water surfaces.