Southern Field Cricket - Gryllus bimaculatus

A distinctive Field Cricket. The elytra are black with a yellow spot at the base of each elytron.

The species is popular for use as a food source for insectivorous animals like spiders and reptiles kept as pets or in zoos. It is most likely to be encountered as an escapee, although it may now be established in southern England.

Most likely to be encountered in the warmer months of the year. 

Females have a tubular organ at the rear, known as an ovipositor, which is used to lay eggs into the ground. They lay their eggs into humid soil or sand and hatchlings emerge from the eggs in about two weeks. These crickets hide under logs, in grasses, and in crevices. They also create homes by digging holes in the ground or live in holes created by other animals.

The spread of records suggest that it may be established in southern England.

Rarely recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland.