CC would be unlikely to be found in an urban area as it is confined to natural temperate grassland, such as Majura Firing Range, where it lives in tunnels.
Roger - this location is next to the new apartments at South Lawson - Rob Spiers posted a 2010 photo of a Canberra raspy Cricket from South Lawson which still retains an area of Natural Temperate Grassland above the edge of development. It looks very much like a Raspy Cricket to me, but I am no expert.
Hmm. Do they wander far from their burrows? I realise the old naval station has some good quality NTG as I did some insect surveys there. Has CRG been seen there since 2010. I could check identity with ANIC
Certainly looks like a CRC. There are other raspy crickets in the ACT but in the native grasslands (both NTG and native pasture) this is the species usually seen. I would email the picture to Alison Rowel - she is very familiar with raspy crickets.
It looks like a CRG to me. As Michael notes, we caught a couple of adults in our pitfall traps in Lawson South in December 2010. The site was between the row of pines (now removed) and Baldwin Drive, the approx. location of what is now Billabong Street. I'm not aware of any records of CRG outside of NTG or decent native pasture, however I guess it makes sense that they're exploring the adjoining developed blocks given that their habitat has been lost or reduced. The only other possibility (Gryllacridid) I'm aware of is the Wood Cricket which we've found a couple of times in our backyard in Flynn. I haven't confirmed the species, however it has large functional wings and a much shorter ovipositor. I'm putting my money on this specimen being a wayward (displaced) CRG.
I think it is an adult female CRC on the following grounds: large female with full ovipositor, no trace of wings/buds, right size, shape, proportions and colouring. I concur with Rob about the different appearance of the somewhat similar Wood Cricket. There are records of CRC from former Belconnen Naval Station, Lawson South and I think along the Ginninderra Drive verge (old pitfall survey). They do wander, especially if their habitat has been dug up. Dave Rentz had several records of them turning up in new houses in Belconnen where these had been built over their habitat. Some constructed silk shelters in curtain folds. They can persist in quite weedy grassland, as long as it was formerly native-dominated or adjacent to occupied habitat.
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