11.04 
PRAIRIE INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION 
FIGG, Dennis E. 
Natural Heritage Biologist 
Missouri Department of Conservation 
 
 
ABSTRACT 
Efforts to protect prairie remnants have been 
directed toward plant communities and vertebrate 
animals. Protection that included invertebrates has 
been incidental to this process. With growing 
concern over the apparent decline of species like the 
Regal fritillary, Speyeria idalia, attention has been 
directed to the important role of insects as plant 
pollinators and their contribution to maintaining 
animal populations. New information about 
invertebrate fauna like the Prairie mole cricket, 
Gryllotalpa major, points to the tremendous need for 
an accounting of prairie invertebrates and continued 
research on their contribution to the prairie 
ecosystem. Without a concerted effort to account for 
the invertebrate fauna of the prairie we may never be 
able to measure the loss of species or its impact on 
the prairie ecosystem. 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 
Significant progress has been made in the protection 
and management of the prairie ecosystem. In Missouri 
over 10,000 acres of prairie are now protected as 
public land. An estimated 70,000 acres is all that 
remain of the original 15 million acres of Missouri 
prairie. While protection efforts have been directed 
at plant communities and vertebrate animals, the end 
result is that invertebrates receive protection as 
well. 
A diverse invertebrate fauna does persist on many 
prairie remnants. Compilation of faunal lists of 
insects on these prairies is an important step in 
accounting for this fauna. It has limited value, 
however, unless ecological information is collected 
too. The lack of knowledge regarding the role of 
prairie invertebrates should be an important concern 
for all researchers who endeavor to preserve the 
remaining parts of the prairie ecosystem. Our 
abysmal knowledge of the distribution, habits, and 
abundance of native insects hampers attempts to 
determine the rarity of invertebrate species (1). 
 
 
reptiles and amphibians eat insects. Some species, 
like the Northern crawfish frog, depend almost 
exclusively on invertebrates. Continued existence of 
these species is critically linked to availability of 
invertebrate populations. 
3. Prairie Mole Cricket 
The Prairie mole cricket, Gryllotalpa major, is not a 
newly described species, but there is little 
information about this insect, its life cycle, 
habitat requirements, or present status. 
Historically, the species occurred across the 
tallgrass prairie region. No specimens have been 
collected outside of Missouri for nearly half a 
century, and those from Missouri were nearly 3 
decades old. Essentially all that has been known of 
the species is based on the original taxonomic 
description and old museum specimens. 
Research initiated in May of 1986 has been successful 
and populations of this insect have been located. 
 
 
3.1 Prairie mole crickets are soil inhabiting 
Orthopterans that appear to be restricted to prairie 
habitat. 
3.2 Males come to the soil surface in early spring 
and begin calling. Calling begins approximately 50 
minutes preceding sunset and ends abruptly at 
darkness. It is assumed they are calling to 
establish territories. 
3.3 The "mechanical" call has been recorded for 
reference and for use with sampling techniques. 
3.4 Male specimens have been hand collected. No 
sampling techniques (blacklight, pitfalls, sweeping) 
have otherwise proven successful. 
3.5 No females have been collected or observed. 
3.6 The current distribution in Missouri, based on 
positive accounts of calling males, is limited to the 
southwestern region of the state. 
 
 
3.7 The remaining habitat occupied by prairie mole 
DISCUSSION                                                   crickets is
fragmented and will probably remain so. 
 
 
1. Insects and Plants 
The role of insects in maintaining the floral 
diversity of the prairie cannot be discounted. 
Insect pollinators are an environmental resource as 
critical to the long-term survival of a plant 
population as are light and moisture (2). 
Pollinating insects exert selective pressure on 
plants, and while the necessity of pollination is 
accepted, the mechanics of these insect/plant 
relationships are largely undocumented and poorly 
understood. 
2. Insects and Vertebrate Animals 
Insects, as converters of plant carbohydrates to 
animal protein, are a significant food source for 
many vertebrate species. Birds like Prairie 
chickens, Upland sandpipers, and Grasshopper sparrows 
depend on insects for food, especially during the 
period when they are raising young. Observations on 
Northern harriers in Missouri show that 16.7% of 
their diet (by total number) is insects (3). Many 
 
 
4. Ecological Role of Prairie Invertebrates 
The role that invertebrates play in the prairie 
ecosystem is not always apparent. Many of the 
insects assumed to be pollinators are floral visitors 
who consume nectar or pollen but are actually 
ineffective pollinators. Other insects are highly 
successful seed predators. The "contribution" of 
these activities is difficult to understand. Other 
invertebrates contribute in ways that are easily 
understood but largely taken for granted. Ants, for 
example, are important for the mounds they build. 
Their continuous tunneling improves soil drainage and 
aeration, distributes organic materials deep into the 
soil, and greatly improves plant growth conditions. 
In some instances they may also act as seed 
dispersing agents. The prairie mole cricket may 
contribute similarly, mixing soil and increasing 
drainage and aeration. Their tunnels may provide 
shelter for small snakes, spiders, and other small 
animals. Deep tunneling may allow for deeper 
penetration of plant roots.