Jerusalem crickets or Stenopelmatus

Contrary to what their name implies, Jerusalem crickets are neither crickets nor are they native to the Israeli city; They are large non-flying insects belonging to the genus Stenopelmatinae and native to the western United States and certain parts of Mexico. Even stranger than its appearance is the wide range of common names it has collected over the years. Among them are potato bug, stone cricket, sand cricket, child’s face, child of the earth (translation of child of the earth in English) , qalatötö ( shiny bug or “shiny bug” in Hopi) and c ‘ic’in lici ( red skullor red skull in Navajo). The most common name is “Jerusalem cricket”, and the origin of this name is the subject of much debate in the scientific community.

Possible explanations include the resemblance of their bodies to a Jerusalem cross; that your diet includes Jerusalem artichokes (which is unlikely, since this plant is native to your region); that the Navajo refer to them as “skull bugs” and the Franciscan priests associate them with “skull hill” in Jerusalem; or the use of “Jerusalem!” as an expletive uttered by frightened people in the 19th century (presumably when they encountered one of these unusual insects). Whatever the origin of their particular nickname, these large insects are decidedly unique.

The Stenopelmatidae

Although they belong to the same order as true crickets and grasshoppers ( Orthoptera ), Jerusalem crickets or Stenopelmatus are members of an entirely separate superfamily, the Stenopelmatidae . This family includes the wetas and the king crickets of New Zealand and Australia, which have equally thick bodies. Native to the western United States and Mexico, the genus Stenopelmatidae is a relatively understudied group of insects.

Some entomologists estimate that there may be 100 or more species, many of which have not yet been described. These flightless insects are largely nocturnal, spending most of their time burrowing in the soil, where they use their formidable jaws to feed on decaying roots and tubers and occasionally other insects. Although they are not venomous, their jaws can inflict a painful bite on humans. They can also produce a very unpleasant odor to deter would-be predators.

How can you tell a female from a male?

Females and males look slightly different. Males typically have larger heads and smaller abdomens, while females’ heads are smaller and their abdomens are almost comically larger. Adult males, for their part, have a pair of small hooks located between the cerci, which are short projections near the end of the abdomen.

Adult females have a short ovipositor, which is an egg-laying tube, located below the cerci. The nymphs, which are immature, often have not developed these distinctive traits, but will with each successful molt.

General Behavior of the Jerusalem Cricket

In their native habitat, these insects are most often seen in the late afternoon, at night, and early in the morning. They prefer to stay underground or in dark, humid and cool places; for this they use their heads and jaws to dig into the ground and push the earth behind them. Most of these insects cannot jump because they are too heavy. The lighter individuals of the species are more capable of doing so.

Jerusalem crickets often drag their large abdomens along the ground when they walk, leaving a grooved trail behind them. They are also very willing to defend themselves if they have no other choice. They are capable of knocking down creatures much larger than their own. Also, they are cannibals. and they are not usually found in groups for long.

Your ways of communication

Jerusalem crickets do not have the wings that other Orthopterans use to make their characteristic calls, but some are capable of producing a hissing sound by rubbing their feet against the body. This is thought to be a way of deterring predators rather than communicating with each other, as they do not have a sensory system to hear these sounds. When they want to send a message to potential mates, they drum their abdomens against the ground, creating a vibration that can be detected by their leg organs.

Between their sheer size and eerily human-like faces, it’s easy to see why these unique insects have captured people’s imaginations for hundreds of years. In fact, they are even important members of the Hopi pantheon, a status shared by few insects. Whatever you call it, it’s an insect you won’t easily forget.

Fountain

Weissman, D. (2005). JERUSALEM! CRICKET? (Orthoptera: Stenopelmatidae: Stenopelmatus); Origins of a Common Name.