Gray Ground Cricket
Allonemobius griseus
This record describes Allonemobius griseus (species). Recorded family: Trigonidiidae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Color with a grayish suffusion; face below the antennae very dark and shining; pronotum with long bristles; lateral margins of dorsal field of male tegmina narrowly yellow; hind femora fuscous-brown with numerous pale spots
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
- Suborder
- Ensifera
- Family
- Trigonidiidae (Trigs and Ground Crickets)
- Subfamily
- Nemobiinae
- Genus
- Allonemobius (Robust Ground Crickets)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Sandy places with scanty vegetation
Geographic Range
Alberta to Quebec; also northern U.S. states from ND-ME, with scattered records further south
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Allonemobius griseus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Orthoptera includes ~28,000 described species of grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids. Desert locusts can form swarms covering 460 square miles containing up to 80 million individuals per square kilometer.
Ecological role of the group
Grasshoppers and crickets are a primary food source for birds, reptiles, and small mammals. Cricket farming is a growing industry - crickets require 12× less feed than cattle to produce the same amount of protein, using 2,000× less water.
Economic and practical significance of the group
A single large locust swarm can consume the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people. The 2019-2021 East Africa locust crisis affected food security for 42 million people across multiple countries. Global crop losses from locusts can reach billions annually.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, UN World Food Programme, research publications. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Gray Ground Cricket (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by metrioptera
Frequently Asked Questions About Gray Ground Cricket
What is Gray Ground Cricket?
Gray Ground Cricket (Allonemobius griseus) is a species in the family Trigonidiidae, within the order Orthoptera.
How do you identify Gray Ground Cricket?
Color with a grayish suffusion; face below the antennae very dark and shining; pronotum with long bristles; lateral margins of dorsal field of male tegmina narrowly yellow; hind femora fuscous-brown with numerous pale spots
Where is Gray Ground Cricket found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Sandy places with scanty vegetation |
| Range | Alberta to Quebec; also northern U.S. states from ND-ME, with scattered records further south |