It pupates within 12 to 30 days (depending on temperature), forming a cocoon in the remains of the cricket by gluing sand grains together.

The pupal phase may be as short as 50 days, but the pupa may enter diapause in the winter, delaying emergence for months.

This suggested the possibility of its use on the mainland, but failed attempts and the development of chlordane pesticide in the 1940s brought an end to these efforts.

Budgetary limitations led to a repetition of the Puerto Rico to the mainland effort, but this population, which originated in Brazil, failed to establish itself except in an area around Fort Lauderdale.

They remain highly adapted to the non-native species and have not diversified to attack (for instance) the native northern mole cricket.