Species Neocurtilla hexadactyla - Northern Mole Cricket

Formerly placed in genus Gryllolapta.

19-33 mm

Compare Scapteriscus--Two-clawed Mole Crickets, e.g. S. borellii), Gryllotalpa (European Mole Cricket, local). Scapteriscus has two large claws on fore-tarsi, while Neocurtilla has four, with two more on the rest of the leg, giving six:

See SINA key. Also note brown pronotum of Neocurtilla. Scapteriscus seems to (usually?) show a dark gray pronotum with four light spots. Neocurtilla has short wings, Scapteriscus longer, covering much of abdomen. Prothorax of Neocurtilla forms short hood over head:

Prothorax of Scapteriscus forms a more smooth transition to head.

Call of Neocurtilla is a slow chirp, 2-3 per second (at 77 °F). Scapteriscus has a trilled call.

Eastern Canada south through eastern and central United States, south to South America.

Usually wet, sandy or muddy soil near streams, ponds. Also agricultural fields.

Typically mid-summer to fall (July-November) in much of range. March-November (North Carolina). June-October (Michigan).

Herbivore. Nymphs feed on plant roots.

Two year life cycle in most of range, e.g., Carolinas and farther north. (In central Florida, overwinter as adults, have one-year life cycle.) Males call from burrows. Females lay eggs in chamber at the end of her burrow--guards nymphs through the second or third instars. Comes to lights.

Two-clawed Mole Crickets, Scapteriscus

Prairie Mole Cricket, Gryllotalpa major

Capinera, pp. 212-213, plate 47 (1)

Arnett,p. 168, fig. 11.28 (2)

Swan and papp, p. 78, fig. 41 (3)

Helfer, p. 323, fig. 515 (4)

Bland, p. 193 (5)

Brimley, p. 21 (6)

Salsbury, p. 77 (7)

Cranshaw, pp. 512-513 (8)

SINA

Insects of Cedar Creek

North Carolina State University Entomology--74 pinned