What Is a Potato Ant and Is It Dangerous?

Unearthing a large, strange-looking insect in the garden can be an unsettling experience. When that creature has a peculiar, ant-like body and is found near your root vegetables, the nickname “potato ant” might seem fitting. This discovery often leads to questions about what the insect is and whether it poses a threat.

What Is a Potato Ant?

The insect called a potato ant is not an ant but a Jerusalem cricket from the genus Stenopelmatus. This flightless insect’s nickname comes from its discovery in potato patches. It is also known as “niño de la tierra” (Child of the Earth), reflecting its burrowing lifestyle and large, human-like head.

Jerusalem crickets are large insects, reaching up to two inches long with a robust, amber to brownish-yellow body. Their most prominent feature is a large, bald, human-like head, which is yellowish or orange. The abdomen is segmented with dark stripes, and it has long antennae and small, black eyes, making it look quite different from a true ant.

Unlike true crickets, Jerusalem crickets are wingless and do not chirp. Instead, some create a hissing noise by rubbing their hind legs against their abdomen as a defense mechanism. For mating, they communicate by drumming their abdomens on the ground to create vibrations.

Habitat and Diet

Jerusalem crickets are nocturnal and prefer dark, moist environments. They are skilled burrowers, using their strong legs to dig into loose soil. You can find them underground in gardens, fields, or beneath cover like rocks and logs, where they remain during the day before emerging at night to find food.

These insects are omnivores with powerful jaws suited for their subterranean lifestyle. They primarily feed on decaying organic matter, which helps with soil decomposition. They also consume the roots and tubers of plants like potatoes, in addition to other insects and small invertebrates found in the soil.

Are Potato Ants Dangerous?

The Jerusalem cricket’s appearance is misleading, as these insects are not aggressive and try to avoid humans and pets. They do not have a stinger or venom, so they cannot poison you. Their primary instinct when disturbed is to flee and hide.

If cornered or handled, a Jerusalem cricket will defend itself with a powerful bite from its strong mandibles. The bite can be painful and may break the skin, but it is not medically significant. Some species can also emit a foul-smelling odor to deter predators.

Managing Potato Ants in Your Garden

Discovering Jerusalem crickets in your garden is not always a pest problem, as they have a dual role. Their burrowing helps aerate the soil and they contribute to pest control by eating other insects. However, their habit of feeding on roots and tubers means they can also damage crops.

Because Jerusalem crickets are solitary and do not infest areas in large numbers, extensive control measures are rarely necessary. Their presence can be managed through simple garden maintenance. Reducing excess moisture in the soil can make the habitat less attractive, and clearing away debris such as piles of wood, stones, and leaf litter eliminates their preferred hiding spots.

Encouraging natural predators is another effective management strategy. Birds, lizards, and shrews are known to prey on Jerusalem crickets. By creating a garden environment that welcomes these animals, you can help keep the cricket population in balance naturally. These non-chemical methods are typically sufficient to prevent significant plant damage.