Camel Cricket - Raphidioptera
Camel crickets are externally distinctive; they are humped in profile. They are named for their elongated body, extended head, and prothorax, which resemble the shape of a camel's head and neck. The appearance of this small insect (body length is 7-9 mm) is very unique. The camel cricket has a flattened, elongated oval head and an elongated, movable prothorax. Its mouthparts are of the chewing type. In addition to well-developed compound eyes, there are three simple eyes. The antennae are quite long and thread-like. There are two pairs of wings, which are almost the same size, transparent, with a net-like venation. Camel crickets have glassy transparent wings, but they fly very poorly and slowly. Their legs are running, thin. They are inconspicuous as they are colored to match the bark of the tree on which they most often reside.
Adult individuals lead an openly predatory lifestyle.
Camel crickets are found in June - July on deciduous trees and grassy vegetation. They hunt various slowly moving insects.
Females have a long, sabre-shaped ovipositor at the end of their body. Females lay eggs under the bark of trees or under moss, where the camel cricket larva lives and finds food from small insects. First-instar larvae feed on aphids, later attacking trunk-dwelling inhabitants by penetrating into their tunnels.
Unlike the adults, the larvae are very mobile, easily moving forward and backward, and can instantly disappear from sight. The larva is extremely voracious and can even eat its weaker relatives, so only one camel cricket larva lives on a trunk.
The larva develops for two years and during this time manages to destroy a large number of plant pests. The camel cricket is rightly considered a beneficial insect. Camel crickets are among the important entomophages of trunk pests in the forest, mainly bark beetles.
Distribution: Western and Inner Tien Shan, Priferghana regions of Kyrgyzstan, Northern Tien Shan
Insects of Kyrgyzstan
