National Park Service Klamath Network Featured Creature U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship & Science Klamath Network Jerusalem Cricket March 2019 Stenopelmatus spp. Field Notes sand dunes, and above tree line. Look for distribution. That factor coupled with their them under logs and rocks, in plant debris flightlessness makes them vulnerable to piles, or dig for them in the soil. habitat fragmentation, especially in urban Sometimes you can track them in the dust environments. to burrow entrances. Behavior Jerusalem crickets are good diggers, and spend a great deal of time underground. As eaters, they are generalists, consuming roots, other invertebrates and detritus, John Roth photo. NPS/Oregon Caves National and are sometimes cannibalistic. Monument and Preserve. Mammals and birds eat them. Predator General Description avoidance tactics include playing dead, Nathan Charlton photo. NPS/Lava Beds Creepy looking or cute? Whether luck or rearing, or flipping on their backs with National Monument intention bring you into contact with this spiny legs and strong mandibles striking Fun Facts peculiar-looking insect you will surely have protective blows. Some species have a an opinion. The origin of the common name foul-smelling anal discharge. They are • Jerusalem crickets can regenerate lost “Jerusalem cricket” is debatable, but one primarily nocturnal and subterranean, legs during successive molts. possibility is the use of “Jerusalem” as an which lowers their risk of predation • In California, three of the heaviest exclamation of surprise. Upon seeing a above ground. known insects are Jerusalem crickets. Jerusalem cricket for the first time, it is easy • Jerusalem crickets appear to cohabit to imagine being startled. These large, mostly Reproduction with harvester ants—living as wingless, cricket relatives (Orthoptera: Females and males find each other by commensals—in their mounds. Stenopelmatidae) vary in color from tan to drumming their abdomens on the ground dark brown with abdominal banding, spiny in a call and response fashion. Drumming Where to See legs, and small, dark eyes set in large, round, patterns are unique to each species. When In the Klamath Network Jerusalem crickets glossy heads with big jaws. Adults may reach a male finds a suitable mate he rolls onto are noted in all parks except Crater Lake 7.5 cm (3 in), and weigh up to 13 g (0.5 oz), his side, then the female will roll onto National Park. the weight of a small mouse! hers. Facing away from her, the male holds one of her hind legs in his mouth, More Information Other common names include potato bug, curls his abdomen around to meet hers, Weissman D. B., A. G. Vandergast, and N. child of the earth, stone cricket, and sand and eventually transfers his sperm to her. Ueshima. 2008. Jerusalem Crickets cricket. Wherever they are, people think they Mating is most successful when both male (Orthoptera: Stenopelmatidae). In: Capinera are poisonous. Jerusalem crickets are not and female are similar in size. The female J.L. (eds) Encyclopedia of Entomology. harmful to humans but should be handled lays her eggs in chambers underground. Springer, Dordrecht: carefully. Several stages of molting are required https://www.researchgate.net/publication/30 Habitat and Distribution before maturity, which may take 2 years 3662284_Jerusalem_Crickets_Orthoptera_St or more. Jerusalem crickets live throughout the enopelmatidae western half of the U.S., in southwestern Conservation Video: Jerusalem Crickets Only Date Canada, and throughout Mexico and Central The diversity of this group is impressive: Drummers | Deep Look: America. In the U.S. Jerusalem crickets at least 17 species are described in the occupy habitats in oak woodlands, U.S. and Canada, and the list is growing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHbwC grasslands, shrublands, coastal and inland Several species have limited geographic -AIyTE&app=desktop EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA TM Prepared by Kasey Rolih March 31, 2019 .