At least six new species of insect in have been discovered in Southern California, some of them right in the middle of one of the nation's largest ciites, San Diego
The newly identified insects, still unnamed scientifically, are four new types of Jerusalem cricket which reach lengths of 3 inches or more and resemble bloated ants. Several specimens were trapped accidentally during a survey of the region's reptiles and amphibians. They might have gone undiscovered because they appear to be active only during certain seasons of the year.
The other newly discovered critters include a new species
of silk-spinning cricket and millipede.
"This is the largest insect, by mass, in Southern
California", said Robert Fisher, a
zoologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in San Diego. "Its amazing
how they escaped detection considering how densely urbanized Southern
California is"
