Ahhhhh, good ol' nature never seizes to amaze me!
What if I told you there is a species of cricket that exclusively thrives on hot molten lava?
Well not exactly, but close enough.
Meet Caconemobius fori, commonly known as the Kīlauea lava cricket or dark lava cricket. And as its common name suggests, it has a close relationship with lava.
Endemic to the island of Hawaii, these crickets occur exclusively on fresh solidified lava flows produced by the Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanos. The natives call it "ūhini nēnē pele" for volcanic chirping cricket and that is for a good reason.
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Now, what's really interesting about the species is that it solely feeds on windblown debris which contains plant material and sea foam. It is after the very first visitor of solidified lava fields and there's much nothing else to eat.
I find it fascinating how in its niche this cricket has adapted so well to be the very first colonizer. Not a moss. Not a plant. But it is an animal to first step foot on such a harsh, barren and toxic environment.
And that is apparently by choice since it seems to hate vegetation. When the first plants start to grow it simply leaves for greener pastures disappears.
Specifically, the lava species has never been recorded within 15 m of any established vegetation whereas individuals have been reported as close as 100 m from active volcanic vents.
Hot stuff!
Here are a couple of videos with more info on this amazing creature if you'd like to learn more. Enjoy:
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