European Mole Cricket

Description:

Mole Crickets within the family Gryllotalpidae include more than 100 species of which a number are very similar and can be distinguished only by their song patterns.
Males occasionally produce a soft, 'churring' song, typically produced on warm mild evenings in early spring. 
This song is similar to the song of the European Nightjar (Caprimulgus europeaeus) and is believed to be used for attracting females.

Mole Crickets have a body length of 5 cm in males and 7 cm in females. 
These insects are adapted to living underground, having forelegs highly modified for digging.

Fifteen species are known within the Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa group, out of which 12 are found in Europe.
The most common Mole Cricket species in Europe is the European Mole Cricket (Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa) which occurs throughout Europe, but is replaced by similar species in the south and east, and becomes rare or absent towards the north.
Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa is the only species occurring in The Netherlands.

n my yard, Hilversum, The Netherlands, 9 June 2020

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