Mormon cricket

American  

noun

1. a flightless, long-horned grasshopper, Anabrus simplex, of the western U.S., that is destructive to range grasses and cultivated crops.

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Etymology

Origin of Mormon cricket

First recorded in 1895–1900; so named because found where the Mormons settled

Example Sentences

The Mormon cricket is not a true cricket but a shield-backed katydid.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 20, 2023

Since the 1990s, the Mormon cricket population has been surging, particularly in Nevada, the University of Nevada, Reno, said.

From New York Times • Jun. 18, 2023

The Southwest is experiencing a severe drought, which the university said “encourages Mormon cricket outbreaks” that may last five to 21 years and “cause substantial economic losses to rangeland, cropland and home gardens.”

From New York Times • Jun. 18, 2023

The Oregon Legislature last year allocated $5 million to assess the problem and set up a Mormon cricket and grasshopper “suppression” program.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 26, 2022

In 2017, Arlington saw its largest Mormon cricket outbreak since the 1940s.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 26, 2022