Jerusalem Cricket

Jerusalem crickets belong to the family Stenopelmatidae, a group of large, flightless, ground-dwelling insects in the order Orthoptera, related to true crickets and katydids but placed in their own distinct family. Despite the common name, they are neither true crickets nor connected to Jerusalem; the name's origin is uncertain, and in parts of the western United States they are commonly called "potato bugs" instead, a nickname unrelated to the striped potato beetle of the same name.

Their most striking feature is a disproportionately large, rounded head with widely spaced eyes that gives an oddly human or doll-like appearance, combined with a shiny, hairless, amber-to-tan exoskeleton and a banded abdomen. They spend most of their lives underground or under surface debris, only occasionally encountered when soil is disturbed or after rain.

Ecologically, Jerusalem crickets are omnivorous soil-dwellers that help break down organic matter and prey on other small invertebrates, and they are a notable example of a large, flightless insect adapted entirely to a subterranean and nocturnal lifestyle.

• Large, heavy-bodied, wingless insect with a shiny, amber to tan exoskeleton and a distinctly banded, striped abdomen.
• Oversized, rounded head with large mandibles and widely spaced eyes, giving a human-like facial appearance.
• Strong, spined hind legs adapted for digging and defensive kicking rather than jumping far; body length roughly 30–65 mm.
• Completely lacks wings at all life stages, unlike true crickets.
• Lookalikes: true crickets have wings (even if reduced) and long, slender hind legs built for jumping; Jerusalem crickets are heavier-bodied and entirely wingless.

Native to western North America, from the western United States into Mexico, Jerusalem crickets live in loose, sandy, or loamy soil in deserts, chaparral, gardens, and agricultural land. They spend the vast majority of their time underground in burrows or beneath rocks, logs, and other surface debris, becoming visible mainly at night or when soil is disturbed by digging or after rainfall.

Nocturnal and largely subterranean, Jerusalem crickets are omnivorous, feeding on decaying plant matter, roots, tubers, and other soil-dwelling invertebrates. They move by walking rather than jumping, using powerful legs primarily for digging and for a defensive kick or stridulation (a rasping or drumming sound) when threatened. Individuals will also rear up and display their large mandibles as a defensive posture if disturbed.

Jerusalem crickets undergo incomplete (gradual) metamorphosis, with nymphs resembling smaller, wingless versions of the adult. Eggs are laid in underground chambers in soil; nymphs pass through numerous instars over an extended period, often a year or more, before reaching sexual maturity. Because development is slow and largely hidden underground, individuals may take one to two years to complete their life cycle.