European mole cricket
Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa
The European mole cricket is a large, subterranean insect reaching up to 5 cm in length, characterized by its shovel-like forelegs adapted for digging. It has a robust, brown velvety body and lives primarily in self-excavated tunnel systems in moist soils. Despite their underground lifestyle, they are capable of flight, and males produce a distinctive rhythmic chirping sound during the mating season.
Details
Identification
Broadened fossorial forelegs, velvety pubescence, two long cerci, shortened tegmina.
Social behavior
Solitary; males defend their singing burrows against rivals.
Diet
Omnivorous; feeds on roots and tubers as well as earthworms and insect larvae.
Hunting strategy
Active detection of prey while digging tunnels or opportunistic capture on the surface.
Spawning substrate
Underground chamber in moist soil.
Overwintering
Overwintering deep in the soil (up to 1 meter deep) as larvae or adults.
Ecology
Ecological role
Soil aeration through tunnel systems; predator of pest insects; food source for birds and mammals.
Natural predators
Hoopoe, lapwing, mole, hedgehog, shrews, ground beetles.
Ecosystem service
Soil loosening and decomposition of organic matter.
Threats
Habitat loss through drainage, intensive agriculture, and use of soil insecticides.
Scientific profile
Profile
Distinguishing features
Characteristic are the forelegs modified into powerful digging shovels. The pronotum (neck shield) is large, egg-shaped, and very hard. At rest, the hind wings often protrude as narrow tips beyond the abdomen. Two long, hairy cerci are located at the end of the abdomen (BfN, 2024).
Habitat
Prefers moist to wet locations with loose, diggable soils. These include wet meadows, riparian zones of water bodies, bogs, as well as horticulturally used areas such as vegetable beds and nurseries (LfU, 2023).
Diet
Omnivorous; the diet consists of both plant parts (roots, tubers) and animal food such as insect larvae, earthworms, and other soil organisms.
Role in food web
Important prey for specialized predators such as the Hoopoe (Upupa epops). Also food for badgers, foxes, and various ground beetle species.
Protection & threats
Main threats
Loss of wetlands through drainage, agricultural intensification, use of soil insecticides, and direct control in gardens (BfN, 2024).
Population trend
Strongly declining in many regions of Central Europe; listed on the Red List in several German federal states (e.g., Bavaria: Vulnerable).
Conservation measures
Protection and restoration of wet meadows, avoidance of chemical control in gardens, preservation of riparian buffer strips, and promotion of biotope connectivity.