Friday, 3 February 2017

species identification - What is this rather large insect in northwestern USA?


As you can see from the ants in the first picture, this insect is peculiarly large - over an inch long. I thought it was dead in the first picture, but it started moving around the next day. A couple of days later I found it again, dead. I have two dead specimens and other pictures if desired.


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I think I've seen a shedded exoskeleton of one on a forest trail and another dead one from months earlier.


What species is it?


Location: Oregon, USA.



Answer



This is a Jerusalem cricket, an insect from the Genus Stenopelmatus.


Here is an image of Stenopelmatus fuscus for comparison:


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