The cricket has long antennae (feelers) and a flat back with hard wing covers.

It is predominantly dark brown in various shades of red and has a white stripe over each of its two wing covers.

The body is shiny black, and on its wing covers are four scalloped, orange-red markings.

The wing covers are brownish and as wide as they are long.

The wings have four sets of wings and wing covers.

When the wing covers are lifted, the joints unlock and the wings spring open.

Western corn rootworms are yellowish with a black stripe on each wing cover.

Yellow tracers slashed past G-8 and dotted his wing cover.

The wing covers are usually grooved on the female and smooth on the male.

The adult beetles can be identified via a black band across the end of both elytra, or wing covers.