Jerusalem crickets are also called potato bugs and are not true crickets.The Jerusalem cricket is a flightless insect species that is mostly found in the southwestern parts of Canada, Mexico, and Central America. This insect species is not dangerous and might only bite when it feels threatened.Because of their name, Jerusalem crickets are often confused as being crickets, but Jerusalem crickets are actually not crickets and are flightless insects that belong to the family of Stenopelmatidae. The genus they are from is Stenopelmatus. They are not a native species of Jerusalem. If they are neither native species of Jerusalem nor crickets, then why have they been named so? This is a really fascinating question. Some theorists believe that these creatures feed on Jerusalem artichoke, while some give the theory that these creatures’ appearance is like a Jerusalem cross. The Navajo refer to them as skull insects, which is indirectly related to Skull Hill in Jerusalem. These theories are given by different theorists. Though Jerusalem crickets are not venomous, they are capable of emitting a foul smell. Jerusalem crickets are also known to produce a hiss. This hissing noise is known to chase away their predators. Quite often, they are also referred to as baby-face bugs.The Jerusalem crickets have strong jaws and a large, round, capsule-like, brown head with two hind legs having two spine rows. Jerusalem crickets eat decaying plants, roots, insects, tubers, and rotten dead green vegetation. These potato bugs can also eat organic matter. Jerusalem crickets are pest insects like most of the other insect species found throughout the world. The habitat in which they live is made up of dusty and loose soil. As these potato bugs are part of a small insect species, they drag their abdomens, and the impression can be tracked on the loose soil due to its fine particles. They engage themselves in burrowing underground beneath the Earth’s surface. If you come across or see one of these little creatures, you can set them free just outside of the house in the yard while wearing gloves on your hands. If you don’t want them in your garden, take steps to limit their habitat, such as removing rough stones, mulch, and timber, among other things. The Jerusalem cricket, or potato bug, has striped and shiny skin. The bite of these potato bugs can be painful to humans because of their large jaws. Adult females have ovipositor tubes, while adult males have a pair of small hooks between their cerci. Like other animals, these crickets communicate through vibrations.If you enjoy reading this article about potato bugs or Jerusalem crickets, then read some interesting and surprising fun facts about how long do crickets live and are crickets good luck.What happens if a potato bug bites you?A potato bug or Jerusalem cricket is not poisonous. However, due to its large jaws, its bite can be painful but not venomous.Potato bugs, or Jerusalem crickets, are small flightless insects without wings. This insect species is neither true cricket nor true bug. The Jerusalem cricket, or potato bug, generally feeds on tubers, decaying organic matter of plant roots, insects, and rotten, dead green vegetation. Jerusalem crickets, or potato bugs, have strong legs and jaws that help them dig in the ground. Jerusalem crickets do not bite, but when they feel threatened, they might bite you. These insects are shy by nature and move away from humans’ presence.You might see these non-pest insects in garden areas or underground areas of the Earth’s soil, where they eat plants’ roots. If you do not disturb the Jerusalem cricket or potato bug, then they will not even bite you back. However, in certain cases, unknowingly, while digging for plants, you might mistakenly hold them, and feeling threatened, they might bite you back. The bite of these creatures only lasts for a few minutes.What does a potato bug bite look like?A potato bug bite usually makes you feel a stinging pain that just lasts for a few seconds. The pain can be sharp, like a sting.A Jerusalem cricket or potato bug bite is not as dangerous and poisonous as other cricket bites. Generally, the bites of cricket species cause sore skin with swelling and redness in the area of the bite, but these potato bugs’ bites are comparatively less dangerous. However, of course, if the Jerusalem cricket or potato bug bites you, then there might be a certain sort of soreness in the skin because of the stinging pain, but that should not last for too long. The bite of the potato bug is non-toxic, causing no swelling in most cases.Are potato bugs poisonous?No, the potato bug, or Jerusalem cricket, is not poisonous and, if left alone, might even not bite you.A potato bug, or Jerusalem cricket, is usually found in the soil underground in plant areas where they eat the organic decaying ground parts or material of a plant. The potato bug, or Jerusalem cricket, does not even feed on any vegetables such as potatoes. The name ‘potato bug’ might sometimes be misleading with the misconception that they eat potatoes. Some of the time, they are also called ‘children of the Earth’ because they mostly live in the ground areas around plants.Potato bugs have saliva that is toxic and destroys plants, but that toxic saliva is not dangerous for humans. The toxic saliva is just used to feed on plants. The appearance of a potato bug might look dangerous, with a large head like a capsule, but they are not that way. Potato bugs are not even dangerous for most garden plants but rather help in the decomposition of dead plant material. In a few cases, potato bugs feed themselves on young plants’ leaves.Can Jerusalem crickets kill you?No, Jerusalem crickets will not kill you as they are not venomous. Jerusalem crickets or potato bugs do not have toxic glands which release venom into humans’ skin when they bite.Generally, when this native insect species of Mexico and western-north parts of America bites with its strong jaws, it causes pain and skin soreness that only lasts a few minutes and goes away on its own. If you leave them alone, they will also not hiss back at you, considering you as their predators.Potato bugs are only known to bite people when they are hungry, agitated, and feel threatened. Potato bugs are among the insect species that are meek by nature, meaning they generally try to run away in the Earth’s soil from any human presence. So certainly, the chances of one killing you are very low, and only stinging bites are evident in the case of potato bugs, unlike other cricket or bug species.How does a potato bug defend itself?Potato bugs generally try to run away from their predators or any human presence. When they are left with no other choice, then as a last option, they either turn on their backs or lift their legs high, especially their hind legs, with jaws wide open to attack their predators.Jerusalem crickets are very solitary and shy by nature. Potato bugs are less social with humans and try to hide in ground-lying material. However, when they are hungry, or they feel threatened, they might hiss at their predators to defend themselves. They sense vibrations, and these vibrations help them to judge the things around them. Their strong front and hind legs also help them to fight their enemies. The hissing noise is produced by rubbing their strong legs.Apart from this, they also emit a foul smell which makes it difficult for a predator to be around them, giving them an opportunity to either fight back or run away from the situation. If you lift up potato bugs with your bare hand and do not have the knowledge to handle them, then hissing and biting are almost inevitable, which is the only option left to them if they feel threatened. This is because they do not have a place to hide away, and being on your skin, they go through their natural process of digging with their legs and jaws.How can you identify Jerusalem crickets?The Jerusalem cricket is easy to be identified because of its wingless body. They are unlike other cricket species or bugs.Potato bugs, also called children of the Earth, feed on any plant food that is either decaying or dead. So, the major concern about them being on the ground is that they could be dangerous. These Earth’s children are well camouflaged with the soil and range in color from yellow to black-brown. The skin of the species is smooth with a shiny texture along with black stripes on its abdomen. The head of the species is large, like a capsule in comparison to its body, and its thorax is light brown in color. There are two antennae on their head. Some scholars suggest that these animals consume Jerusalem artichoke, while others believe that their look resembles that of a Jerusalem cross.They have six legs, four in front and two long hind legs on their abdomen. They have black, shiny eyes that resemble beads on their heads. The size of this insect species is 1-2.5 in (2.5-6 cm). The appearance of the insect is scary for a while, but in actuality, they are not that scary. They are usually very slow in their speed and can be caught with gloves on your hands. The abdomen color may vary from black to brown, with a pointed end towards the last part of the abdomen. If you want to keep them as pets, then it can be done with ease as they do not require much care, and the food required can be found in your kitchen. They are so small that they just get small portions or amounts of food to eat, such as potatoes, apples, and other cricket food, only if kept in captivity or as pets. What do I do if I see one?If you find or see one of these children of the Earth, then, wearing gloves, you can let them outside of your house in your yard. If you do not even want them to be there in your yard area, then try to reduce their habitats, such as rocky stones, mulch, and timber.As far as you have learned, Jerusalem crickets are not dangerous to you, as well as your yard, and can be kept as pets if you wish to do so. However, what should you do if one of them comes across you when you really don’t want it to? First, just relax for a moment and try to catch them with gloves on your hands to avoid their stinging, non-toxic bites. You can also spray neem oil on them if you want to repel them from your house. This spraying should be repeated every two to three days to avoid them. If you do not want them to be in your yard, then avoid giving them their natural habitats such as timber, rocky stones, and mulch. These all should be cleared.Along with that, keep trimming any dead and decaying plants to avoid their presence in your yard. Though they are not regarded as pests, some of the time, they infest young plants’ leaves. People often get confused and assume that they like to eat potatoes because of their name, but this is not the case with them. If you are unaware of them, professional assistance and a phone call are required if you want to rid your home and yard of Jerusalem crickets. In the autumn season, they are not active, and their presence is more evident in the winter, summer, and spring seasons. They are nocturnal and are mostly active during the night. So, in order to take action, you can work on them in the daytime near the places they are found.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘Jerusalem cricket bite’, then why not take a look at ‘Why do crickets chirp?’ or ‘Jerusalem cricket fun facts for kids’?
Jerusalem crickets are also called potato bugs and are not true crickets.
