The Mormon Cricket (Anabrus simplex) is a large insect that lives throughout western North America in rangelands dominated by sagebrush and forbs. Despite its name the Mormon Cricket is a shieldbacked katydid and not a cricket, and its name references Mormon settlers in Utah who encountered them while pushing westward. The species has a variable coloration with black, brown, red, purple, or green hues. The shield behind the head has colored markings, and the abdomen may be striped. Their diet consists mostly of forbs, but they will eat other insects including other Mormon Crickets.
The Mormon Cricket has an overall body length between .98”-2.44” (25-62 mm), body width of .3”-.75” (7.5-19 mm), and body height of .35”-.85” (9-21.5 mm). The typical lifespan of the Mormon Cricket is between 2-3 months.
The Mormon Cricket (Anabrus simplex) is a large insect that lives throughout western North America in rangelands dominated by sagebrush and forbs. Despite its name the Mormon Cricket is a shieldbacked katydid and not a cricket, and its name references Mormon settlers in Utah who encountered them while pushing westward. The species has a variable coloration with black, brown, red, purple, or green hues. The shield behind the head has colored markings, and the abdomen may be striped. Their diet consists mostly of forbs, but they will eat other insects including other Mormon Crickets.
The Mormon Cricket has an overall body length between .98”-2.44” (25-62 mm), body width of .3”-.75” (7.5-19 mm), and body height of .35”-.85” (9-21.5 mm). The typical lifespan of the Mormon Cricket is between 2-3 months.
