Red wrote:
Have a look at these 3 pics here
http://optusnet.com.au/~softfix/
What is it?
Is it a young earwig or whiteant/termite gulp
Red
Red, you don't say how big it is. I'm assuming it's pretty small, since you say
it could be a termite. While the 'terminal cerci' (that's what those things at
the end are called) remind me of an earwig, the creature just doesn't appear
flat enough... And an earwig's cerci are supposed to be inwardly recurved and
this one's aren't. They curve upward.
So my vote would be for a cave cricket nymph (whose Family name I've completely
forgotten, just when I want to quote it!) =:-0
The cave cricket is a member of the grasshopper family that lives in caves and
under houses. They grow pretty large (maybe three inches long?) and have
antennae as long or longer than their bodies. I reckon your critter could be a
baby one.
--
Trish {|:-}
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
PS. Aha! I looked in 'Insects of Australia' and find the animal I *think* it is
would be from the Superfamily Rhaphidophoridae. Dunno if that helps?
PPS. Diagnostic features of crickets (from 'Insects of Australia') a
eyes are present or greatly reduced?
the number of segments in the tarsus (foot)
whether a tympanum is present (it's a small 'spot' on the forelimb)
If you can answer these questions, then someone from the CSIRO might be able to
help.
Here's a site worth looking at:
http://www.ento.csiro.au/aicn/
PPPS Sorry for the essay! I get carried away! :-(