Pygmy Crickets Don’t Walk They Jump Off Water

cricketsWhat do you do if you are a tiny insect who has the misfortune of making amazing leaps that often times land you in water? If you are a pygmy mole cricket (Xya capensis), this does not pose a problem. A report in the December issue of Current Biology explains that these tiny, 5.5mm long insects come equipped with seven paddle-like appendages and four prongs on the end of each powerful back leg (1). These structures help the insects leap straight up off the surface of the water with enough power to reach heights eighteen times their body length.

Not bad for something the size of a pencil eraser.

See the leap for yourself here.

Reference

  1. Burrows, M. and Sutton, G.P. (2012) Pygmy Mole Crickets Jump From Water. Current Biology 22, R90-1.