About the Oriental Mole Cricket
Gryllotalpa orientalis is a species of mole cricket in the family Gryllotalpidae, commonly known as the oriental mole cricket. It is found in much of Asia and Australasia. At one time, this species was misidentified as G. africana and thought to have a widespread distribution in both Africa and Asia, but in the 1980s, G. orientalis was recognised as a separate species. It is a polyphagous pest, damaging crops by gnawing their roots.
This mole cricket is plump, yellowish-brown, and paler beneath, and about 20 mm long. It has short filiform antennae, fore legs designed for digging, and a large, oblong pronotum. The wings project slightly from beneath the fore wings. After mating underground, the female builds a nesting chamber deep in the soil and lays about 200 oval eggs that hatch after 10 days. The nymphs remain in their nest for the first 2-3 weeks, guarded by the female. A newly hatched nymph has a blueish-white prothorax and legs. Later instars are grayish-black with white markings, and the last nymphal stage is similar to the adult and exhibits short wing pads. The whole lifecycle lasts for 1-3 years depending on the climatic conditions. The adults... Wikipedia →