Gryllotalpa australis is a species of mole cricket in the family Gryllotalpidae. Here are some key details:
Genus: Gryllotalpa
Species: australis
Authority: Burmeister, 1839
Family: Gryllotalpidae
Endemic to Australia, especially found in eastern and southeastern regions.
Commonly found in moist soils, grasslands, gardens, and agricultural fields.
Brown to dark brown body.
Well-adapted for digging, with strong, shovel-like forelimbs.
Size: Typically about 30–40 mm in length.
Wings are present but flight is rare.
Nocturnal and burrowing insect, often lives underground.
Feeds on plant roots, organic material, and small invertebrates.
Known for distinctive, low-pitched trilling sounds, made by males to attract females.
Can be agriculturally damaging due to root feeding.
Despite looking intimidating, mole crickets are not aggressive toward humans and are more often a nuisance to gardeners than a threat.
| Brief description | Large, stout, dark brown, small eyes, short antennae, short fat legs, rearward claws, adults winged, body-length to 4 cm. |
| Description | A large, stout, dark brown cricket. Head partially shielded by large shiny scutellum (upper surface of thorax); eyes small; antennae relatively short; legs very short and stout, with rearward-pointing claws suitable for burrowing through soil. Adult female stockier than male and with more fully-developed wings. Body-length to 4 cm. |
| Biology | Mole-crickets spend most of their lives underground, feeding largely on plant roots and building complex burrow systems. They may take two years to mature, each successive nymphal instar increasingly resembling the adult form. Only the adults have wings, though nymphs have wing-buds. The adult male employs his wings to make a deafeningly-loud evening call, delivered from the entrance chamber of his burrow. The sound is generated by rubbing his fore wings together, but is greatly amplified when his wings rhythmically touch the roof of his calling-chamber, allowing his abdomen to become an additional resonating instrument. Females, which fly readily, are driven by the urge to mate to home in on the calls of the flight-averse males. |
| Habitat | Grasslands and areas with disturbed soil and vegetation, including parks and gardens. |
| Native status | Native to Australia. |
| Maximum size (cm) | 4 |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Colours | brown |
| Distribution | Across Australia |
| Habitat types | Terrestrial |
| Commercial species | False |
| Author credit | Simon Grove / Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery |
| Gryllotalpa australis |
Gryllotalpa australis is a species of mole cricket in the family Gryllotalpidae. Here are some key details:
Genus: Gryllotalpa
Species: australis
Authority: Burmeister, 1839
Family: Gryllotalpidae
Endemic to Australia, especially found in eastern and southeastern regions.
Commonly found in moist soils, grasslands, gardens, and agricultural fields.
Brown to dark brown body.
Well-adapted for digging, with strong, shovel-like forelimbs.
Size: Typically about 30–40 mm in length.
Wings are present but flight is rare.
Nocturnal and burrowing insect, often lives underground.
Feeds on plant roots, organic material, and small invertebrates.
Known for distinctive, low-pitched trilling sounds, made by males to attract females.
Can be agriculturally damaging due to root feeding.
Despite looking intimidating, mole crickets are not aggressive toward humans and are more often a nuisance to gardeners than a threat.
| Brief description | Large, stout, dark brown, small eyes, short antennae, short fat legs, rearward claws, adults winged, body-length to 4 cm. |
| Description | A large, stout, dark brown cricket. Head partially shielded by large shiny scutellum (upper surface of thorax); eyes small; antennae relatively short; legs very short and stout, with rearward-pointing claws suitable for burrowing through soil. Adult female stockier than male and with more fully-developed wings. Body-length to 4 cm. |
| Biology | Mole-crickets spend most of their lives underground, feeding largely on plant roots and building complex burrow systems. They may take two years to mature, each successive nymphal instar increasingly resembling the adult form. Only the adults have wings, though nymphs have wing-buds. The adult male employs his wings to make a deafeningly-loud evening call, delivered from the entrance chamber of his burrow. The sound is generated by rubbing his fore wings together, but is greatly amplified when his wings rhythmically touch the roof of his calling-chamber, allowing his abdomen to become an additional resonating instrument. Females, which fly readily, are driven by the urge to mate to home in on the calls of the flight-averse males. |
| Habitat | Grasslands and areas with disturbed soil and vegetation, including parks and gardens. |
| Native status | Native to Australia. |
| Maximum size (cm) | 4 |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Colours | brown |
| Distribution | Across Australia |
| Habitat types | Terrestrial |
| Commercial species | False |
| Author credit | Simon Grove / Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery |
