Family: Bradyporidae; Genus: Acanthoproctus; Species: cervinus

Above average rainfall within the Kameelhoek territory have produced a green surge of vegetation. Herbivores of all shapes and sizes rush in to utilise as much of the new growth of both woody (trees & shrubs) and herbaceous (grasses & forbs) plants as possible. It is during the early to mid-season growth phases where plants contain the highest levels of protein, nutrients and minerals suited to maintaining animal health and condition. Animal movements are accompanied by the vibrance of once hidden organisms foraging, hunting, crawling and flying in order to make the most of the ecosystem resources available. One organism, making full use of nature’s abundance includes the Armoured Ground Cricket (Figure 1). Its presence can be noted during late summers, when the sound of male cricket stridulation (1) echoes through the night. The act of stridulating is usually associated with courtship where male crickets attempt to attract females for mating. These males also provide their female counterparts with a nuptial gift, usually in the form of food, before mating commences.

Figure 1. Armoured Ground Cricket hanging from a grass stem. — **Figure 1.** Armoured Ground Cricket hanging from a grass stem.

The seasonal increase of Armoured Ground Cricket numbers is met with an abundance of possible predators. Predators may include birds, reptiles, rodents and other small mammals which view the slow-moving ground cricket as a potential meal. Fortunately, these ground crickets come prepared with their own chemical defences which are excreted from the joints of their exoskeletons upon attack. The action of autohaemorrhaging releases a mixture of noxious chemicals and blood to repel predation. The Armoured Ground Cricket forms an integral part of the food chain, where it serves as a catalyst for energy transfer between primary producers (plants), other insects and a variety of different organisms within the Kameelhoek ecosystem.

Stridulation – the act of producing sound by rubbing body parts together (associated with insects).