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Nature conservation > Wildlife > Native animals > Nocturnal animals > Invertebrates

Mole cricket

Gryllotalpa pluvialis

For such small critters, male mole crickets make an extremely loud call at dusk. But it's not unaided: they use the entrance of their modified burrow to amplify the noise they produce with the rapid movement of their wings.

Male crickets make sound by rubbing their wings together rapidly, much like a person rubbing their hands together. They rub the back edge of their left forewing against a row of teeth on their right forewing.

Australia's 10 species of mole cricket are common to most areas. Like their mole namesake, they burrow underground, digging away with short, strong forelegs. With a shiny throat and red-brown exterior, they're frequently unearthed in your backyard compost heap.

Last updated: 25 August 2006

Mole cricket
Mole cricket