A New Arrival to the Channel Islands
The night of 13 August 2026 proved to be an exceptional one for insect migration in the Channel Islands, producing outstanding moth catches and the discovery of a species entirely new to the islands’ fauna.
The Verge Cricket (Eumodicogryllus bordigalensis), also known as the Bordeaux Cricket, is a true cricket belonging to the family Gryllidae. Its brownish-grey, cryptic colouring provides excellent camouflage, particularly in dry, open and disturbed habitats. Across its continental European range, it is associated with warm, sunny environments, including grassy verges, low vegetation, sandy ground and coastal areas. Males are known for their distinctive calling song, usually delivered from low vegetation or open ground.
Common in France and parts of continental Europe, the Verge Cricket became a notable new arrival in Britain during this summer, with several sightings reported from southern England, including the Isles of Scilly and Sussex.
Then, on 13 August 2026, the species made its first recorded appearance in the Channel Islands. Favourable weather conditions appeared to have carried Verge Crickets across from France in some numbers.
The discovery came during an exceptional night of insect migration, when I recorded more than 1,000 moths representing 95 species, a remarkable catch that reflected the enormous scale of the insect movement. Finding a cricket among the moths was unusual enough, but discovering a species that had never previously been recorded in the Channel Islands made the occasion particularly memorable.
The arrival of Eumodicogryllus bordigalensis is a striking reminder of the potential for continental insects to reach the islands when weather conditions are favourable. Its rapid appearance in southern Britain during 2026, followed by its first confirmed record in Jersey and the Channel Islands, makes the Verge Cricket an intriguing species to watch in the years ahead.
Since this initial discovery, the species has also been recorded on Guernsey, Sark and Alderney, suggesting that its arrival in the islands may have been more widespread than initially thought.
Author : Alli Singleton – Entomology Section
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