#3997 · 🦗 bugs, crickets & other insects
European Mole Cricket
🇳🇱 Veenmol ·Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa
📍 Noordwijkerhout, Nederland
📍 Golfpark Spandersbosch, Hilversum, Noord-Holland, NL
📍 Sloten, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, NL
📍 Alkmaar, Netherlands
📍 2204 AA Noordwijk, Nederland
📍 Hugo de Grootplein, Amsterdam, North Holland, NL
10 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences
- 1. © mnauky · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 2. © Дмитрий Колеватов · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 3. © gailhampshire · CC BY 4.0
- 4. © Stas & Lana · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 5. Noordwijkerhout, Nederland:© Michel Langeveld · CC BY 4.0
- 6. Golfpark Spandersbosch, Hilversum, Noord-Holland, NL:© Robbert van 't Veldt · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 7. Sloten, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, NL:© maimarloes · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 8. Alkmaar, Netherlands:© luukieluuk · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 9. 2204 AA Noordwijk, Nederland:© Wilco Vertegaal · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 10. Hugo de Grootplein, Amsterdam, North Holland, NL:© ruby · CC BY-NC 4.0
what is it?
Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa , commonly known as the European mole cricket, is widespread in Europe and has been introduced to the eastern United States. The scientific name is derived from the Latin 'gryllus' meaning a cricket and 'talpa', a mole, and is descriptive because of the fine dense fur by which it is covered and its subterranean habits, and because of the mole-like forelegs adapted for digging, a good example of convergent evolution.
base stats
Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).
fun facts
- Spotted 151 times in the Netherlands on iNaturalist.
- 5,733 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
- Scientifically named in 1758 (268 years ago).
fact sheet
- English
- European Mole Cricket
- Nederlands
- Veenmol
- scientific name
- Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa
- class
- Insecta
- order
- Orthoptera
- family
- Gryllotalpidae
- sightings in NL
- 151
- sightings in Europe
- 4,226
- sightings worldwide
- 5,733
- GBIF records in NL
- 10,594
- weight
- —
- length
- —
- lifespan
- —
- named
- 1758
Sources: iNaturalist taxon 71219, Wikidata Q476326, GBIF 1716128, Wikipedia (EN), Wikipedia (NL). Intro text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.