Pictures of Different Types of Crickets
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 | CRICKETS Critter Files/Insects/Crickets By Blake Newton University of Kentucky Department of Entomology |
| Common Kentucky Crickets: | |
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| TAXONOMY |
| KINGDOM: Animalia | PHYLUM: Arthropoda | CLASS: Insecta | ORDER: Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) |
| WHAT IS A CRICKET? LIFE CYCLE ECOLOGY PEST STATUS COMMON KENTUCKY CRICKETS COLLECTING & PHOTOGRAPHY CRICKET FACTS MYTHS, LEGENDS, AND FOLKLORE |
| WHAT IS A CRICKET? |
| Like all insects, crickets have 6 legs, 2 antennae, and 3 body parts. Crickets are distinctive because of their large back legs. In fact, jumping legs like these are only found on crickets, grasshoppers, and their relatives. Crickets and grasshoppers also have leathery front wings (called "tegmina") which help protect the delicate back wings. Females have a long "ovipositor" at the tip of their abdomens which is used to lay eggs. Crickets are very closely related to grasshoppers, and it can be difficult to tell them apart. Although crickets are usually darker in color than grasshoppers, there are several examples of bright green crickets, as well as dark brown grasshoppers. In fact, grasshoppers and crickets are so closely related that some of the insects that we call "grasshoppers" are actually more closely related to crickets than they are to other grasshoppers. The best way to identify crickets is to simply become familiar with the three different families of crickets: Gryllidae (field, house, and tree crickets), Gryllacrididae (camel crickets and cave crickets), and Gryllotalpidae (mole crickets). Distinctive characters of these three families are detailed in the common types section below. |
| SIZE: Body length of Kentucky crickets, ½" - 2" long |
| LIFE CYCLE |
| Simple metamorphosis: young crickets hatch from eggs and resemble small, wingless adults. Crickets shed their skins as they grow, usually molting several times before emerging as winged adults. Most kinds of crickets lay eggs in the soil. Tree crickets slice holes into plant material and deposit their eggs inside. Some kinds of cave crickets lay eggs in bat guano. Male crickets "chirp" to attract females. The familiar chirping sound is produced with a "stridulating organ" located at the base of the wings. |
| ECOLOGY | |
| Crickets are omnivores, feeding on a variety of plant and animal materials, including insects and their eggs. They are very common in Kentucky, and are an important food source for a many animals, including spiders, centipedes, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals. Most crickets are active at night and hide during the day under rocks and logs, except for tree crickets, which usually remain on vegetation all day and night. |
| PEST STATUS | ||
| Although they do not infest food or harm humans, field and house crickets are considered pests when they wander into homes, especially when their chirping causes a disturbance. Camel and cave crickets will commonly live in dark cellars and in crawlspaces, but they cause no harm and prefer to stay out-of-the-way of people. The best way to deal with cricket pests is to keep them from entering a home. Read more about How to Pest-Proof Your Home. |
| COMMON KENTUCKY CRICKETS | |
| FIELD CRICKETS AND HOUSE CRICKETS | |
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| TREE CRICKETS | |
| CAMEL AND CAVE CRICKETS | |
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| MOLE CRICKETS FAMILY :Gryllotalpidae Mole crickets look very different than other crickets. Like real moles, they spend their time burrowing underground and feeding on plant roots. Some can grow to be 2" long. | |
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| COLLECTING & PHOTOGRAPHY |
| Field and house crickets are easy to find and collect. They are almost always present around buildings, where they hide under boards and rocks during the day. Similarly, camel and cave crickets are also very common, but you may have to crawl into a basement to find them! Tree crickets can be more of a challenge: their green color allows them to hide in plants very well. Look for them a few feet off the ground in trees and other plants. Mole crickets are common, but difficult to find because they are usually underground. They are sometimes seen flying during warm months. Although crickets are able to move quickly, they will often remain still for a photograph if they are not startled. |
| MYTHS - LEGENDS - FOLKLORE |
| In some cultures, a singing cricket in the house is considered good luck. Some people even keep pet crickets in cages as a way to "harness" good luck. |
Original document: 25 May 2004
Last updated: 18 Aug 2008
Photos courtesy R. Bessin and B. Newton, University of Kentucky
The Kentucky Critter Files are maintained by Blake Newton, Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky.
Contact: blaken@uky.edu
Pictures of Different Types of Crickets
Source: https://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/crickets/crickets.htm