Short winged Mole Cricket(Scapteriscus abbreviates)Common Name: Short winged Mole Cricket
Latin Name: Scapteriscus abbreviates
Appearance:
The shortwinged mole cricket usually appears to have a bulging abdomen. It is not to be confused with the huge nymphs of other mole cricket species because its wings are significantly shorter (far shorter than the abdomen), and it cannot fly.
The pronotum and the U-shaped aperture between the claws on its foreleg distinguish this grass pest. The song of the shortwinged mole cricket is not heard.
The hue of an adult Short-Winged Mole Cricket ranges from black to reddish-brown. The U-shaped aperture between the claws on its foreleg and the pronotum, which has multiple darker dots in the middle and around the margins, distinguishes this grass pest. However, its hind wings most easily identify the Short-Winged Mole Cricket.
Host plant:
Adults and nymphs consume turf grasses, including St. Augustine grass and Bermudagrass, as well as weeds like pigweed and several other plants.
Territory:
Scapteriscus abbreviatus is native to South America, where it is found mostly in Florida and Georgia.
Damages caused by short winged mole cricket:
The shortwinged mole cricket is a grass and vegetable seedling pest. The shortwinged mole cricket eats mostly plant material and just a little bit of insects and other animals. They eat plant roots, stems, and leaves the same way as the tawny mole cricket does. They are the predominant pest among mole crickets when they are the dominant species, such as in coastal regions of southern Florida.
Life history and habits:
The southern and tawny mole crickets look and behave similarly. Overwintering nymphs reach maturity in April, and eggs are laid around this time, generally in April-May. Nymphs are present throughout August after hatching. Some adults are observed beginning in August or September. However, overwintering occurs in both the nymphal and adult stages. A single generation each year is typical, but in southern Florida, there are two generations plus an extra peak of adult flight in the summer, resulting in spring, summer, and fall flights from the two generations. Adult emergence occurs sooner in both southern and tawny mole crickets. Unlike the southern and tawny mole crickets, which lay eggs in April and May, the shortwinged mole cricket may lay eggs all year in southern Florida.
