Bug FAQStriped Ground Cricket
Allonemobius fasciatus · Order: Orthoptera · Family: Trigonidiidae
The striped ground cricket is an omnivorous cricket that lives in short grasslands and can be found across northern North America, especially in the eastern and western United States. It has one generation per year, with nymphs taking up to two months to hatch and development speeding up as daylight decreases. The species can hybridize with Allonemobius socius, and their song calls are indistinguishable to females, which can cause identification confusion.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It can hybridize with the related cricket Allonemobius socius, a trait studied in evolutionary biology.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Body size varies depending on the region where it lives.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It usually prefers short grassland habitats. In mountainous areas it is found at higher elevations, while its close relative A. socius stays at lower elevations.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The striped ground cricket is omnivorous, feeding on both plant material and small animals.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
It produces one generation each year. Nymphs may take up to two months to hatch.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Development speeds up as daylight decreases, showing photosensitivity. In late summer the adults deposit their embryos into the soil.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is widely distributed across North America, especially in the eastern and western parts of the continent. Within North America it tends to occupy northern regions, whereas A. socius is more southern.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Because it can hybridize with A. socius, its song calls are not distinguishable from those of A. socius to females.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 42 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Kansas, Ohio, Iowa, Vermont, New Jersey.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What does the striped ground cricket eat?
It is omnivorous, feeding on both plant matter and small animals.
Source: Wikipedia
When does the striped ground cricket lay its eggs?
Adults deposit their embryos into the ground in the later part of summer.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does it have each year?
It is a univoltine species, producing one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the striped ground cricket found?
It lives in short grassland habitats across northern North America, especially in the eastern and western United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Trigonidiidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allonemobius_fasciatus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.