Scaly Cricket Project

Until the late 1990s, the Scaly Cricket was thought to only be present in the coastal shingle habitat of Chesil Beach in Dorset. The first recorded discovery of the species was a single adult female on Chesil Beach in 1949.  A male Scaly Cricket wasn’t recorded until 1977 in the same location. Up until that point many theorised that the Scaly Cricket bred parthenogenically (eggs are produced without fertilization by a male). Subsequently, the species was recorded at Branscombe Beach in Devon in 1998 and at Rousdon near Lyme Regis, Dorset in 2021.

The Scaly Cricket is thought to be an omnivorous scavenger, feeding along the strandline at night. They have a two-year lifecycle; the eggs, which are laid in driftwood, typically hatch, after a year, in June. The nymphs then complete their instars over the next year and become an adult the following summer.

There is still a lot to learn about this species but by undertaking surveys, our Scaly Cricket Project has helped to reduce these knowledge gaps.

What was the project outcome?

A total of 40 sites were visited across the three known sites along in South England, and further along the southwest and southeast coast of England, to establish whether the Scaly Cricket was present at other locations.

Of these, 31 sites were deemed to be suitable habitat and were surveyed. Sadly, no new sites were found for the Scaly Cricket, but it was recorded at new locations at known sites, showing a wider spread of the population than previously thought.
By better understanding the ecology and habitat requirements of the Scaly Cricket, we can help to conserve these populations for the future.

We hope that this project will encourage ongoing survey and monitoring of the Scaly Cricket populations on existing sites and encourage volunteers to become involved in the survey and monitoring of the species.

How can I continue to support?

We encourage you to submit your Scaly Cricket sightings on the iRecord app.