History and Discovery
The insect was not known within Johannesburg before the 1960s, the first known specimen being found in Barberton in 1899 by William Forsell Kirby. They only became prevalent after 1960, when Johannesburg began to expand rapidly in size and population. The reason for the increase in the insects' numbers is not known, although they have done much better in an urban environment than in the wild, and it is therefore clear that some important controlling factor is absent in its new habitat.
Johannesburg, being part of the South African highveld, has a dry climate, which was unsuitable habitat for the Parktown prawn. With the arrival of suburban dwellers, cultivation provided lush, forest-like gardens, an environment more suited to the crickets which helped the insect thrive. Johannesburg's suburbs are considered to be one of the world's largest man-made forests, being very green and leafy, representing a total transformation of local flora.
Read more about this topic: Parktown Prawn
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