Mole Cricket aka Tinglit

The Mole Cricket is one strange-looking insect, I never saw one of these ugly creatures until I came to Pattaya. The Thai people sometimes call them Tinglits. the first time I saw a Mole Cricket, I thought it looked like a miniature Bat crossed with a Grasshopper. The Mole Cricket is yet another bug that the Thai people regard as a tasty snack.

a mole cricket, aka tinglit
The Mole Cricket is often referred to as a “Tinglit in Thailand.

The Mole Cricket actually spends most of its life underground, they have well-developed front limbs, much like a Mole’s, which they use for burrowing. They can often be heard chirping, much the same as a grasshopper.

mole cricket, often referred to as a tinglit in Thailand
Mole Cricket.

Despite being very adept burrowers, Mole Crickets can fly, and males can fly as far as 8 kilometers. You will occasionally see them on the footpaths of Thailand, but they are more common in grassy areas such as lawns, arable land, and golf courses. If you are one of the brave souls who like to sample all the Thai food you can, then you just might find yourself eating one.

mole cricket
Mole Cricket