# European Mole Cricket (*Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa*)

The European Mole Cricket is a special insect that loves to dig in the ground. It has strong front legs that help it burrow and is known for its chirping sounds, especially at night!

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![European Mole Cricket](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Gryllotalpa_gryllotalpa_MHNT.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gryllotalpa_gryllotalpa_MHNT.jpg)

## Appearance

The European Mole Cricket is a medium-sized, reddish-brown insect with a cylindrical body. It has distinctive, powerful shovel-like forelegs adapted for digging, giving it a unique mole-like appearance compared to other crickets.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Orthoptera
- **Family:** Gryllotalpidae
- **Genus:** Gryllotalpa

## Interesting facts

- A male's loud, resonating chirp can be heard from over a mile away on a quiet night!
- In some cultures, European Mole Crickets are kept as pets or even eaten as a crunchy snack!
- Its powerful front legs are shaped like tiny shovels, perfect for digging complex underground tunnels!
- They can swim through water if their tunnels become flooded, using their legs like oars.

## Special abilities

- **Super Digger:** European Mole Cricket can tunnel rapidly through soil using its powerful, shovel-like forelegs, helping them build homes and hunt.
- **Chirp Communicator:** European Mole Cricket males can produce a loud, resonating chirp by rubbing their wings, which helps them attract mates.
- **Night Navigator:** European Mole Cricket can fly short distances, mostly at night, which helps them find new habitats and avoid danger.

## Measurements & details

- **Wingspan:** 70-90 mm
- **Size:** 35-45 mm
- **Lifespan:** 365-730 days
- **Leg Count:** 6

## Diet & Feeding

These omnivores munch on roots, seeds, and even small insects found underground.

- **Primary Foods:** Plant roots, Seeds, Plant stems, Insect larvae, Earthworms, Small invertebrates
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Tawny Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tawny-owl) (*Strix aluco*) — Mole crickets are a food source.
- **Eaten by:** [European Hedgehog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-hedgehog) (*Erinaceus europaeus*) — Hedgehogs prey on crickets.
- **Eats:** [Earthworm](https://www.snappit.app/explore/earthworm) (*Lumbricus terrestris*) — Mole crickets eat earthworms.
- **Eats:** [Barley](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barley) (*Hordeum vulgare*) — Its roots are a food source.

## Traits

- [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
- [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species.
- [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Mole Crickets are not harmful, but it's best to watch them from a distance.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify European Mole Cricket?

Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### What is European Mole Cricket's wingspan?

70-90 mm

### How big is European Mole Cricket?

35-45 mm

### How long does European Mole Cricket live?

365-730 days

### What does European Mole Cricket eat?

These omnivores munch on roots, seeds, and even small insects found underground.

### Where is European Mole Cricket usually found?

Grasslands

### How does European Mole Cricket hunt?

Foraging

### How many legs does European Mole Cricket have?

6

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [European Mole Cricket: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-mole-cricket)