Mole cricket is a type of large insect that burrows in the ground like a mole. Its short front legs, like the mole’s legs, are specially suited for burrowing. Most mole crickets also have wings and can fly. Mole crickets live in tropical and temperate regions. They live underground in burrows and also may be found in damp basements. Mole crickets eat insect larvae, earthworms, and root and tuber crops, including potatoes.
The most common species of mole cricket in North America is the northern mole cricket. It measures about 11/2 inches (4 centimeters) long and is velvety brown in color. The changa, a mole cricket of Puerto Rico, is the worst insect pest of the sugar crop.
