M.M., Brown Hill.

This is a mole cricket. It’s the insect that makes the loud whirring noise from lawns and garden beds in summer, after sunset and before dark.

Children often stamp on the ground near the call to make it stop for a while.

While it is quite common, the mole cricket is seldom seen above ground. It is occasionally found by gardeners digging soil or – less often – as it runs from place to place. Its call is more numerous after rain and when the ground is moist. Its strong front legs are used for digging and burrowing. It feeds on a variety of things, with a preference for grass roots. It is a native insect, found in natural areas and gardens.