Giant jerusalem cricket?

[arizona]

Giant Jerusalem Crickets Discovered In Southern California

"Scientists have found the Goliath of Southern California insects, and it is a species of Jerusalem cricket. Found at Torrey Pines State Reserve and at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, the cricket is among six new species of arthropods found in the area by scientists including David Weissman, a research associate of the California Academy of Sciences. Vaguely resembling a swollen ant, the 3-inch-long, wingless creature is the largest insect by mass yet found in the southland. They are thought to be a food source for coyotes. The other new species include a silk-spinning cricket and a millipede. The discovery of so many new insect species in such an urbanized area is unusual, highlighting the extraordinary biodiversity of California and the San Diego region in particular. The area has more threatened species than anywhere in the nation."

Have any of you heard of this or seen it?

 

[Paladin]

yes very cool bugs, looks almost like a giant termite if you will. just dont put two together cuz u end up with one....

 

[biznacho]

Doesn't suprise me at all. Pendelton is a huge piece of land. Basicly open space from the southern edge of Orange County to San Diego and a whole bunch more inland. Military access only. And with the San Onofre nuclear power plant(aka The T**s) right there I'm not at all suprised to hear about giant bugs.

It really is a beautiful piece of land if you ever get a chance to explore it off the highway. All sorts of hills and ravines. Wide open spaces. Amazing place.

biznacho

 

[Malhavoc's]

Gotta luv them J crickets I caught soem here in riverside highly predacious will readily pull a black widow from her web to eat her

 

[arizona]

Is there any chance that you could sent some my way. Probably have to send them in like seperate containers or vials though, cause from what I here they will eat each other. It would be cool to have a giant jerusalem cricket.

 

[Lochala]

What did it say about the silk spinning crickets?

 

[arizona]

What did it say about the silk spinning crickets?

That is all I could find apperently CNN did the story, maybe you could check out there site.

 

[Malhavoc's]

I could send you some, but I'm leaving for canada [home] on monday and wont be back in cali for a few months. PErhaps when I get back and yes they eat not only each other but everything, including what you would htink would be predators of them.

 

[Elizabeth]

Here's a link:

http://www.ag.unr.edu/wsj/Factsheets/fs99-35.pdf

They eat plant matter, too. I usually find them in my garden, in the soil.

Interestingly enough, I have seen a Jerusalem cricket caught in widow web, a meal for the widow! I guess catching a widow isn't a slam-dunk for one of these!

The ones here in Soquel seem quite large. I will have to measure exactly the next big one I see. Three inches almost seems like no news. Maybe after I measure some here, that will be more impressive.

 

[Horrido]

Hey, it's not the size of the cricket that matters, it's how you mount it. :}

 

[Malhavoc's]

Or perhaps how it eats your fellow female lab techs?

 

[Horrido]

No...no...no...It just stalked her... from inside its jar... keeping her within sight.

 

[Malhavoc's]

lol. Did you ever fidn out why it did that??

 

[Horrido]

All the guys in the class did the same thing, so we can only assume it was because she was a stunning blonde.

 

[tkalland]

Giant jerusalem cricket

I was playing paintball in Hemet CA last week. My gloves had fallen off the table and unknown to me a giant jerusalem cricket crawled inside my glove. When i stuck my hand in it i thougt there was twigs in it at first and when i pulled my hand out it was stuck onto me until i shook it off. I didn't know what it was at first, but it was huge and for a split second i thought it was a scorpion as i pulled my hand out and saw it on me. I haven't been able to find any on-line pics of one as big as the one i found. They all look tiny in comparison. I estimate it was 3 inches long and thicker than my thumb with 1/4" long mandibles.

 

[striving]

I estimate it was 3 inches long and thicker than my thumb with 1/4" long mandibles.

3" is pretty big. I live in Long Beach CA. Have a lot of JCs under rocks in my yard. But most of the bigger ones avg about 1" to 1 1.5" Have also seen some new born's that are smaller than sweat bees.

Love to find one of these Giants some time.

Pic of one I recently found. A little less than an inch I believe.

 

[acrocinusxl]

Seems to have moved South since its original discovery . . .

View attachment 127265 View attachment 127265

Giant Jerusalem Crickets Discovered In Southern California

"Scientists have found the Goliath of Southern California insects, and it is a species of Jerusalem cricket. Found at Torrey Pines State Reserve and at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, the cricket is among six new species of arthropods found in the area by scientists including David Weissman, a research associate of the California Academy of Sciences. Vaguely resembling a swollen ant, the 3-inch-long, wingless creature is the largest insect by mass yet found in the southland. They are thought to be a food source for coyotes. The other new species include a silk-spinning cricket and a millipede. The discovery of so many new insect species in such an urbanized area is unusual, highlighting the extraordinary biodiversity of California and the San Diego region in particular. The area has more threatened species than anywhere in the nation."

Have any of you heard of this or seen it?

 

[Smokehound714]

Great pets, especially if you provide a sandy substrate, they love sand!

 

[Alejandro45]

I have got to wonder...how do they breed if they just eat each other? Are we missing something in captivity? And that pic is amazing!!

 

[Curious jay]

Found this on youtube, could contact the uploader for more information on how his breeding project went.
Jerusalem Cricket Video I: http://youtu.be/9V5nP3nXz9A