Unraveling the mystery of a strange mole cricket species

This is one of the strangest creatures I've ever seen. One look, it looks like a crayfish. Another look, it looks like a cockroach. A third look and you're convinced it's something Satan made up when he was bored. It's neither of those things; it's actually a cricket, a fairly common but hard to find species called a ceratopsid.

Now, I'm normally a sucker for bugs, but there's something about this one that just creeps me out, and knowing that it was found right here in Evansville doesn't creep me out at all.

Mole cricket is a perfect name for this insect.

I still can't believe how much the front half of this thing resembles a mole. It looks like two completely different insects combined into one. It looks like someone cut the mole part in half, found a cockroach-like insect with wings and glued it to the back of the mole part. Now that's a mole cricket (I still can't believe Satan didn't have a hand in this).

Are mole crickets dangerous?

No, mole crickets are not dangerous to humans. In fact, most of us have probably never seen one. This is the first time I've seen one in my 46 years on Earth. Mole crickets usually stay underground, doing their mole business, and don't care about us at all. And most of them are herbivorous. And, sure, they look big in these pictures, but they're not in reality. that Large – up to 2 inches.

What Kera Means Around the World

Well, according to Wikipedia, in Zambia mole crickets are thought to bring good luck, people in Latin America say mole crickets can predict rain, and here in Evansville, Indiana, the presence of a mole cricket (if they're in my area) means I need to change my pants.

Yes, male mole crickets also sing to attract females, and it goes something like this…

You're welcome. Sweet dreams!

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