Jerusalem crickets, known as baby-faced crickets, are a group of large, flightless insects of the genus Stenopelmatus. They are native to the western United States and parts of Mexico.
Jerusalem crickets: baby-faced crickets
Despite their common names, these insects are not true crickets (which belong to the family Gryllidae), nor are they native to Jerusalem or baby-faced. These nocturnal insects use their strong mandibles to feed primarily on dead organic matter, but can also eat other insects.
Their highly adapted legs are used to burrow beneath moist soil to feed on decaying roots and tubers.
While Jerusalem crickets are not poisonous, they can emit a foul odor and are capable of inflicting a painful bite.
Stenopelmatus fuscus is a cousin of crickets and grasshoppers; together they belong to the order Orthoptera. Like them, the baby-face also sings at night in search of a mate, but its sound is barely audible. This slight noise is caused by rubbing the hind legs against the belly.
A sting (bite) from this bug may hurt a little and, in extreme cases, cause a small infection…
They are nocturnal insects and spend most of their life under moist soil, you are likely to see them from September to December. They usually come out when it rains, because the soil where they live is flooded.
They are not considered a pest, since you don’t usually find many in one place.
- Facebook Messenger