Oriental Mole Cricket

Description:

Gryllotalpa orientalis is a species of mole cricket in the family Gryllotalpidae, commonly known as the oriental mole cricket. It is found in much of Asia and also in Australasia. At one time this species was misidentified as G. africana and thought to have a widespread distribution in both Africa and Asia but in the 1980s, G. orientalis was recognised as a separate species. It is a polyphagous pest, damaging crops by gnawing their roots

Habitat:

The oriental mole cricket lives underground in damp soil, digging a network of passages. Its natural habitat include damp rich soils such as flood plains and the banks of streams and ponds as well as arable land and gardens.The burrow has vertical and horizontal passages and may be complex in structure, with different parts being used for different purposes. The cricket feeds on the roots of plants, tubers and rhizomes and also on insects, earthworms and other invertebrates. It come to the surface and takes flight in the evenings and at night and is attracted to light sources. A mass emergence after wintering may take place when the temperature rises to 12-15°C. Besides birds and insectivorous mammals, its natural enemies include ants which feed on the eggs, beetles which eat the larvae, nematodes and mites. Fungal diseases may be devastating during winters with sudden rises of temperature and thaws