Montana Field Guide

The following comes from Whitehead and Miner (1944), Helfer (1971), Capinera and Sechrist (1982), and Vickery and Kevan (1985). The Great Plains Camel Cricket's body is thick, robust and roundly humped dorsally. Color varies from brownish-red to dark brown. The dorsal surface tends to be darker, fading into the lighter sides. There is a narrow, clay-yellow stripe on the dorsum of the thorax. Light colored mottling occurs on nearly all body parts. The front tibiae are semi-fossorial (enlarged at the tip for digging), and all tibiae are heavily armed with spines. The male femur is extremely heavy, robust and bears 5 to 7 large spines on the ventral edge.

The following comes from Whitehead and Miner (1944), a study centered in the sand hills of western Oklahoma. This species overwinters in the 3rd and 4th instar nymph stage (a few 2nd and 5th instars may be present in some areas). There may be some above ground activity on warm days in winter. There is generally slow development throughout the winter, but rapid growth begins in March and accelerates to late April or early May when the adults appear (which is probably later at more northern latitudes like Montana). By the first of July, after mating and egg laying, the adults have died.

The following is taken from Whitehead and Miner (1944), Helfer (1971), and Vickery and Kevan (1985). Adult body length for both male and female is 22 mm to 28 mm. The hind femur of the female lacks the heavy ventral spines of the male and is similar to the femur of the Robust Camel Cricket (Udeopsylla robusta). There are only 3 segments on the front and hind leg tarsi and 4 segments on the middle leg tarsi.

The general appearance of this species is similar to that of other Camel Crickets but can be quickly distinguished by its heavy hind femur and by closely examining the front and hind leg tarsi, which have 3 segments rather than the usual 4 found in other Camel Cricket species (Helfer 1971, and Vickery and Kevan 1985).

Seems to prefer grassland and sagebrush steppe areas with sandy soils. It also occurs in lawns, gardens and croplands. The Great Plains Camel Cricket is an extraordinary burrower. Burrows have been found to depths of 4 to 5 feet, with 2 feet or less considered an average. It seems that a clay subsoil layer is a limiting factor for burrow depth. This species is nocturnal and may move up to a maximum of 30 feet from its burrow during nightly foraging (Whitehead and Miner 1944).

Consumes a very wide variety of plant and animal material, both alive and dead. When this species feeds on live plant material, they remain on the ground, feeding on the leaves they can reach or by gnawing the stem until it falls. The Great Plains Camel Cricket’s menu includes dry sticks, dead leaves, rabbit pellets, bird droppings, carcasses of toads, and live ants. They also will not pass up an opportunity to dine on the seedlings of tomatoes, watermelon, cowpeas and cotton (in the South) which can put them on the “pest list” in some regions of the U.S. The practice of cannibalism is also suspected (Whitehead and Miner 1944).

The following is taken from Whitehead and Miner (1944), and Vickery and Kevan (1985). Copulation is thought to occur within the burrows. Egg laying begins in the latter part of May and continues to the end of June or the first of July. Eggs are deposited in the walls of the burrows. After an incubation time of 3.5 to 4 months, the eggs hatch around the latter part of September or early October. The nymphs dig their way to the surface and begin digging their own individual burrows where they remain continuously and pass through 6 instars. There is only one generation per year.