Gryllotalpa major Saussure
(grill-oh-TALP-a MY-your)
Distribution and Damage
Little is known about this mole cricket, which occurs in prairie vegetation in restricted areas of Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. It is native to these regions, and is not considered a pest. The prairie mole cricket is uncommon. However, a study by the US Fish & Wildlife Service concluded that it is not a threatened species.
Description
The prairie mole cricket shares the general characteristics of the other Gryllotalpa species. It has four dactyls on the tibia, and the femur has a knife-shaped process. However, in the prairie mole cricket the upper margin of the tibia of each leg of the third pair (i.e., the posterior tibiae) has no spines. Other Gryllotalpa species have a row of five spines at this location.