Common cricket insect. What does a cricket look like?
Origin of the species and description
In our nature, there are several species of crickets from the family of “true crickets”, the Latin name of which is Gryllidae:
- Far Eastern stem cricket (Oecanthus longicaudus) - they can be found in Japan, China and the Russian Far East. The second name of the insect is “eastern trumpeter”.
- The field cricket (Gryllus campestris) is a species of orthoptera cricket. They are found more often in the countries of Asia Minor and Western Asia, Southern and Central Europe, and in African countries. They mainly prefer sunny meadows and fields, open places under the sun, light pine forests, and any open areas under the sun.
- House cricket (Acheta domesticus) - like the field cricket, belongs to the species of orthoptera crickets. This insect settles during the cold period in human dwellings, in any warm rooms, heated industrial buildings, basements, etc. With the onset of warm spring and until the warmest autumn, they leave the premises and other outbuildings into nature. The second name is house cricket.
There are also ant crickets, otherwise they are called “common ant-loving”. Belongs to the order of Orthoptera insects and a species of small ant crickets. They are also called ant-loving crickets. Small and wingless insects. They are considered the smallest of all cricket insects. The closest relatives of crickets are grasshoppers and locusts.
Appearance and features
All the crickets are pretty small sizes, but still differ in their appearance depending on which group the insect belongs to.
House cricket, up to approximately 24 mm in size. There are eyes on both sides. “The antennae on the head are longer than their body, which serve the function of touch.” The body is covered with a special substance called chitin. It helps the insect protect itself from harmful factors environment and also prevents water loss.
Video: Cricket
The color is gray-yellow, and the body itself has streaks of brown shades. They have wings that help them move at high speed. When folded, the wings protrude beyond the body itself and resemble a long tail. House crickets do not use their wings.
They have three pairs of limbs, the back pair is longer, so thanks to them the cricket can move quickly and over long distances. The front pairs of paws act as hearing organs. Rear end the body is called “ovipositor”. Females and males have them, but they differ in size. In females, the ovipositor is longer - approximately from 1 to 1.4 cm, in males it is 3 - 5 mm less.
The field cricket differs from the “domestic” cricket in its impressive size. The size of an adult is up to 2.5 cm. The body is black with brown shades, and covered with gloss. The head is oval with eyes and antennae. Otherwise, the “field bug” is similar to the brownie cricket.
The eastern trumpeter grows up to 1.3 cm. Compared to its counterparts, it is much smaller. The stem cricket received its name due to the fact that it lays clutches of eggs in the plant stems themselves. The second name - “eastern trumpeter” - was given because of its origin ( Far East).
In color it is distinguished by its brown flowers, with shades of green. Also long antennae, 3 pairs of legs, the hind ones of which are the most powerful, wings and elytra are transparent. The elongated body somewhat resembles a grasshopper. Ant crickets are the smallest, up to 5 mm. They do not have wings, and their appearance resembles domestic cockroaches.
Where does the cricket live?
The habitat of “house” crickets is in areas with a warm climate in the summer months: green fields, meadows, open forest glades, pine groves under the sun. They dig a hole for themselves with their jaws, in which they subsequently take refuge during periods of bad weather or danger. When they leave their shelters, carefully covering it with grass, they go in search of food.
With the onset of cold weather, the house cricket seeks shelter in house outbuildings, and in any dwellings where there is warmth. They do not live in apartments, not counting the first floors of old houses. Field crickets live only in warm regions, in meadows, fields and forests. They dig their burrows in loose and oxygenated soil, 15 to 25 cm deep. These burrows are considered their shelter. During periods of cold weather, it overwinters as a larva and imago (in the adult insect stage).
Females can leave their burrows in search of a partner, leaving him covered with a bunch of grass, but males will not abandon their shelter. Rather, on the contrary, they protect him from their relatives and engage in battle if necessary. It is not uncommon for field crickets to die for their “house.” For most of its existence, the field cricket lives on the soil surface.
The common stem cricket lives in the territories of the Far East, steppe Russia, southern Siberia, the Caucasus and Kazakhstan. Prefers to settle in plant stems, bushes, and foothills. Waits out bad weather under leaves on the ground.
Ant crickets live in warm countries America. They live near ant nests. And they wait out the cold periods from October to March in the anthills themselves in the adult and larval stages. This species can be found in Western and Eastern Europe, they were discovered in Russia and Ukraine, there is information about finds in Italy and Romania.
What does a cricket eat?
The cricket's diet is very varied. In their nature, they all feed on plant foods: roots and leaves of plants, fresh shoots of grass, leaves of shrubs. They prefer young seedlings, especially adult ones. Field crickets are omnivores, and since they need protein in addition to plant foods, they also feed on small ground corpses of invertebrate insects.
House crickets also eat leftover food left by humans. But they give greater preference liquid food at home. Small invertebrates also eat soft and corpse tissues of insects. “Domestic insects have such a concept as cannibalism. Adults can eat young animals and larvae that have not yet reached sexual maturity.”
Specially grown crickets are fed plant foods that are always rich in proteins. The diet contains: leftover fruits and vegetables, bread crumbs and other cereals, tops and leaves from the garden, as well as fish and egg meal. But most importantly, they need liquid, which is best given in the form of a sponge soaked in water. Such crickets are specially raised at the Moscow Zoo to feed their charges.
This is a harmless insect; they do not bite and do not show aggression towards the surrounding world and humans. All their hostility can only manifest themselves towards their rival who has entered his protected territory. Therefore, you should not be afraid of him.
But there are times when, due to an overpopulation of crickets in an area, the harvest may be lost. This is the exception rather than the rule, but cases have occurred. And under certain weather conditions, a cricket can reproduce very quickly and “a lot.” Then special tools will come in handy as assistants to help get rid of uninvited guests.
Features of character and lifestyle
The most striking feature that a cricket has, and why people sometimes breed them at home, is its melodic sounds. They produce unique, special and melodious signals. Moreover, such “melodies” are produced exclusively by sexually mature males. There are three types of signals. Each sound has its own meaning. Some signals encourage the female to mate, while others scare away potential female suitors. And still others emit signals when courting a partner in order to attract her.
How do crickets make sounds? On the right wing of the “bug” there are special chirping cords, which in turn rub against the left wing. This is how the chirping sound of a cricket comes about. And the raised wings serve as a sound resonator. Their wings create more than 4,000 vibrations per second. Thus, the signals are very clearly audible to humans. Crickets chirp all summer long, and you can clearly hear it while outdoors.
“In the old days, it was believed that if a “screaming” cricket lives in a house, it brings good luck to the owner and protects him from evil and disease. For the pregnant girls living in the house, this meant an easy birth. And we shouldn’t have gotten rid of them.” Today everything is different, not many people like such “vocalists”, some simply disdain insects, and for others such singing interferes with sleep.
This insect loves warmth very much; without it, their process of reproduction and development slows down, and they become inactive. And if the temperature reaches sub-zero temperatures, the insect simply goes into hibernation.
By the way, in some Asian countries, crickets are eaten and are considered a delicacy. Many visiting tourists are offered to taste this insect during excursions to markets.
Crickets have a special way of life - one male has a certain part of the territory that he controls. Can attract many females, whom he will consider only as his own. Something like a harem. But God forbid another male gets into his territory - a fight will break out in which only one individual will survive. And the male who wins can dine on his rival.
The Chinese, taking advantage of their lifestyle of competition between males, organize field cricket fights. The winning cricket in the duel receives a “reward”.
Social structure and reproduction
All insects go through three stages in their life cycle: egg, larva and adult (otherwise known as imago). But the process of reproduction of crickets in each species differs in terms of development, number of stages and life expectancy:
Field crickets sing “serenades” at the entrance of their burrows, calling for females to mate. After the mating process, females lay up to 600 eggs in the soil. Larvae appear after 2.5 - 4 weeks. This occurs at the very end of spring or beginning of summer. After the larvae hatch from the eggs, they immediately moult and become like wingless little bugs that can only crawl on the ground.
They grow very quickly and can molt up to 8 times throughout the summer. As soon as the cold weather sets in, they hide in their burrows dug with their jaws. In houses, after 1 - 2 molts, they turn into an adult (imago). And as soon as they feel the warmth coming, they crawl out as adults and again prepare to reproduce. After laying eggs, the female dies by the end of summer. Life period – up to 1.5 years.
The common cricket lays its eggs in moist cracks in the soil. One female can lay up to 180 eggs per season, but at high temperatures, from +28 and above, she can lay 2–3 times more. After a week and up to 3 months (depending on weather conditions - the warmer it is, the faster the emergence occurs), the nymphs hatch, also wingless. They go through 11 stages of development to adulthood. The duration of the “domestic” imago is up to 90 days.
The principle of mating and laying eggs of the stem cricket is similar to the previously described methods. And life expectancy is approximately 3 – 4 months. Much depends on climatic conditions and habitat areas of this species.
The cycle of laying eggs until the full development of an adult ant cricket is 2 years. The longest of all types. And the process itself consists of 5 stages, which takes place in anthills. Life expectancy is up to six months. “This type of cricket is not capable of singing, so mating takes place without courtship and a long search for “suitors.”
Natural enemies of crickets
Crickets don't have many enemies. Partly this is a person, since with a large overpopulation of insects, he will begin to fight them. Since no one wants to lose their harvest, people begin to fight crickets using chemicals. This does not happen in our middle zone, since in order for a large number of them to breed, a tropical climate is needed, which we do not have.
Man uses cricket as bait for fishing rare species fish But in some Asian countries they are eaten. In other countries, the insect is used as food for animals - reptiles that live in the house as pets. Since crickets are rich in proteins and proteins, they are considered a valuable food product.
Interesting fact: in 2017, one newspaper talked about an American company in Texas, which was the very first to produce fried snacks consisting of crickets in five flavors: sea salt, barbecue, sour cream and onion, etc. The snacks were then positioned as protein and protein foods .
Population and species status
There are just over 2 thousand on our planet. different types crickets. They live on all continents where there is warm, sunny weather, moist soil and vegetation. Naturally, in countries where the air temperature is sub-zero, you will clearly not be able to meet a “chirping” insect.
Man has successfully learned to breed these insects at home. In order for the cycle to be continuous, a number of conditions must be met: temperature and population density in the container. But one cannot remain indifferent to the fact that a dangerous disease has appeared in the cricket population, which is caused by the microsporidia Nosema grylli.
For very short term the entire population of insects located in one room (habitat, container, etc.) may die. Crickets become lethargic, swell and die. To combat the disease, drugs are used that are used to treat nosematosis in colonies with bees.
Cannibalism, prolonged molting, and the softening of their skin - chitin - can also contribute to a reduction in the population. With cannibalism it is understandable, but prolonged molting contributes to damage to the larvae at a high density of individuals in the occupied area. Chitin is responsible for the external influence of natural factors on an adult individual; accordingly, any damage to it increases the risk of death of the insect.
Many people know this amazing “vocalist”. He lives side by side with humans and is completely harmless. Cricket is one of the interesting creatures that can coexist in harmony with nature. Therefore, you should not offend him if you suddenly meet him on your way. It’s enough to listen to what he’s “singing” about and your mood may lift by itself!
The cricket is perhaps a rare example of an exception among insects, causing in people not disgust (as, for example, the same ones), but on the contrary sympathy and curiosity. Since ancient times, his melodic singing has been associated with the hearth, coziness, and comfort. It’s not for nothing that the cricket is a favorite hero of many children’s fairy tales. The name of this insect comes from the Greek word for “singer”. If we resort to scientific classification, then crickets, like their relatives - grasshoppers, belong to the group of long-whiskered orthoptera insects, so named due to the possession of long mustaches and straight wings.
House cricket - description, characteristics, photo. What does a cricket look like?
House crickets are quite small in size; adult individuals can reach only 16 to 26 mm in length. The color of the domestic cricket is gray-yellow, also in different shades of brown, with streaks or spots of indeterminate shape.
The cricket's head is shaped like a flattened egg. Also on it (the head) there are three dark arcuate stripes. The cricket's eyes are located on the sides of the head; they have a complex facet structure. The cricket's mouth is of the gnawing type in structure. But the real pride of crickets is their large mustaches, which can sometimes be several times larger than the body of the crickets themselves. The cricket's whiskers serve a practical purpose - they are responsible for the sense of touch.
The cricket's wings are also well developed. The back pair of strong membranous wings helps them fly from place to place with ease. Crickets can also make relatively long flights. At rest, the cricket's wings are located along the abdomen; they look like sharp and long tails.
Like other orthoptera insects, the cricket has three pairs of legs. The back legs of a cricket with thickened hips are the strongest; they are designed for jumping, because it is no secret that crickets (as well as their relatives, grasshoppers) are simply excellent jumpers. But the front legs of the cricket also perform functions that are quite unusual for legs—the hearing organs are located on them.
How a cricket sings
Sexual differences in crickets are manifested in the presence of a special sound apparatus in males, capable of producing “signature” cricket trills. Yes, only male crickets sing (or rather play) and in such a simple way attract the attention of females with the eternal goal of continuing their kind. The sound apparatus of crickets itself is similar in structure to that of grasshoppers, but it is even more complex. The sound of crickets is produced due to a special stridulatory vein, which essentially performs the function of a bow, on the left elytra of the cricket.
How long does a cricket live?
The lifespan of the domestic cricket is short - it rarely lasts more than 3 months.
Where do crickets live?
The habitat of the domestic cricket is very wide; they can be found all over the world, in many European countries(including our Ukraine), in North Africa, Asian countries and even in southern Australia. But crickets were once not found on the American continent, but they were successfully brought there by European settlers.
Their favorite habitats are human dwellings (hence the prefix “home” to the name of crickets), warm basements, warehouses, and heating power lines. During the warm season, crickets can live outside human buildings.
What does a house cricket eat?
Crickets are omnivorous insects that feed on both plant foods and can attack small invertebrates and eat other small insects, thus satisfying their need for protein supplements needed in diet any cricket.
Interesting fact: crickets can even attack each other, eating their smaller relatives; as you can see, facts of cannibalism are very common in the world of insects. Now you know the answer to the question of what do crickets eat?
Cricket Reproduction
Crickets have polygamous relationships, each male is the owner of a certain territory, which is inhabited by several females who are part of a kind of harem of this male. If another male encroaches on the territory of this male, fierce fights occur between them.
Required attribute mating games These insects are the famous trills of crickets, performing their musical serenades, the male attracts the female for mating.
Crickets breed throughout the year, but their peak sexual activity occurs in the summer. A fertilized female cricket prepares holes in the ground where she lays her eggs, somewhat similar to bananas. During one oviposition, a female cricket can lay from 40 to 179 eggs.
After one to two months (depending on the temperature and the environment in general), larvae begin to emerge from the eggs. The larva in its appearance resembles an adult cricket, but in order to become one, it will have to go through 10 molts, occurring over 7 weeks, during which the body undergoes restructuring. After the last molt, the larva produces a normal, mature cricket.
Breeding crickets at home
In some countries, cricket breeding even takes on industrial proportions, for example, in China they are bred specifically for the purpose of subsequent use as food (Chinese gastronomic traditions are known for their originality). And some people raise them simply as unique, original pets. Below we describe some recommendations for breeding crickets at home.
- No more than 15 females and no more than 3 males can live in one container.
- Containers made of glass, plastic or plywood can be used as an insectarium for crickets, it is only important not to forget to provide them with proper ventilation.
- At the bottom of the insectarium, where the crickets live, it is worth pouring finely sifted peat mixed with sand.
- It is important to comply temperature regime. Since crickets are heat-loving insects to maintain optimal temperature In the insectarium you can use ordinary incandescent lamps with a power of no more than 75 W. Such heating is necessary around the clock.
- It is equally important to monitor the humidity in the insectarium. In general, the humidity there cannot be more than 40%.
What to feed house crickets
You can feed crickets with various vegetable crops and herbaceous plants. Carrots, beets, lettuce, and clover heads are perfect. It is also very advisable to add pork or chicken feed to the diet. It is worth feeding not in large portions, but often - at least several times a day.
- Since ancient times, crickets have been especially revered in China and Japan, in these countries they even organized special competitions for singing domestic crickets, and the rich people there were ready to give entire fortunes for the winners.
- Since ancient times, it was believed that having a cricket in the house brings good luck, prosperity, and well-being.
- According to recent research by scientists, the trills of crickets have a beneficial, calming effect on the human psyche. Only the purring of a domestic animal has a similar positive effect on a person.
Cricket, video
And in conclusion, we invite you to listen to the sound of a cricket in the video yourself.
When writing the article, I tried to make it as interesting, useful and high-quality as possible. I would be grateful for any feedback and constructive criticism in the form of comments on the article. You can also write your wish/question/suggestion to my email. [email protected] or on Facebook, sincerely the author.
Crickets are unique living creatures, whose singing has long been associated with home comfort. At the same time, the insects themselves have never caused negative reactions in humans. Crickets served as the basis for writing children's fairy tales and creating cartoons. What is interesting about this insect is described in this article.
Crickets belong to a species of insect that is a close relative of the well-known grasshopper and represents a group of long-whiskered orthoptera insects. Crickets get their name from the Greek word, which means “singer.”
Scientists divide crickets into several species. For example:
- Real crickets represent a whole family, which includes 3 species: house crickets, field crickets and Far Eastern stem crickets.
- Ant crickets (ant lovers).
It is believed that the homeland of the house cricket is the Far East, as well as North Africa. Here they have been settling next to humans for a long time, both in their homes and in outbuildings. With the onset of warmth, crickets move to nature, and with the onset of cold weather they return to a person’s home or, as close as possible to its warmth. Crickets living in field conditions dig holes for themselves up to 30 cm deep. When they leave their burrows to feed or simply observe the territory, they cover the entrance to the burrow with grass.
The house cricket is distinguished by a gray-yellow hue, while the body is decorated with streaks of a brown shade, and on the head there are three stripes of the same shade. They grow up to 25 mm in length. There are eyes on both sides of the head, and rather long mustaches protrude from the front of the head, which serve as organs of touch. The insect's body is covered with a layer of chitin, which protects it from negative external factors and also prevents moisture loss.
This type of cricket has wings, which allows them to move quickly from place to place. When folded, they extend beyond the body size and resemble the tails of insects. In reality, house crickets cannot fly. Crickets have three pairs of limbs, each of which performs specific functions. The back pair is the strongest and due to them the crickets make jumps. The two anterior pairs perform the functions of auditory organs.
Only males produce unique, melodic sounds, which attracts females to continue their race. Sounds are produced due to the stradiculation vein, and sounds are produced due to the friction of this vein by the left wing.
Each type of sound has its own purpose. Some sounds are made in order to find a female, some sounds are made by the male in the process of courting a female, and some sounds are made in order to scare away potential suitors.
Interesting to know! Ancient beliefs say that the presence of a cricket in the house brings good luck to the residents and protects them from disease and evil, and that pregnant women will have an easy birth. It is believed that you should not get rid of crickets in the house, but not all residents like the fact that insects do not allow them to sleep. In such cases, they try to get rid of such vocalists.
If there are a lot of crickets in the area, then they can cause harm, causing damage to the vegetable harvest, including melons.
Field crickets are found in Southern and Central Europe, Asia Minor and Western Asia, North Africa, etc. Their usual habitats are areas with constant access to sunlight.
As a rule, field crickets live in meadows, fields, and also in pine forests. They live in the ground at a depth of 20 cm.
Compared to other species of their relatives, field crickets are more impressive in size, as they can reach a length of about 2.5 cm. The body of the insect is painted in a black, glossy shade, although there are individuals of brown color with orange spots. The head is round, and 2 antennae stick out on it - antennae. Simple eyes can be seen on the forehead.
Crickets are considered omnivorous insects, but they prefer to feed more on objects of plant origin. There are cases when they catch unwary insects or eat their corpses.
Stem crickets are representatives of true crickets, which have the second name “eastern trumpeter”. They grow up to 1.3 cm in length, with a light green body and a black stripe at the bottom of the abdomen.
Due to the fact that insects lay eggs in the stems and petioles of plants, they received their first name. Each clutch contains 2-3 pieces. eggs At the height of summer, larvae hatch from the eggs. The larvae differ from adults in their smaller size, as well as in their wings, which are in a rudimentary state. Before the beginning of autumn, the larvae turn into adults.
The second name corresponds to its habitat, which is limited to the Far East, as well as China and Japan.
Ant crickets are the smallest in size. As a rule, they grow in length to a maximum of 5 mm, while they do not have wings, but appearance they resemble ordinary cockroaches. They are unable to make any sounds.
This species of cricket lives in South America, where they were discovered by an entomologist from Switzerland in the late 19th century. This species is also found in Europe. As a rule, they nest next to ants. Adults overwinter in an anthill, and the development cycle of larvae, starting from the egg-laying stage, is almost 2 years and consists of 5 stages.
Crickets are distributed across almost all continents, although they appeared most recently in America, when they were brought by settlers from Europe.
A house cricket lives no more than 3 months, and a field cricket lives for almost a year and a half. The inhabitants of the tropics live a little more than six months.
As a rule, house crickets settle near human habitation. These are omnivorous insects that can feed on both plant and animal foods. Their diet consists of small insects as well as tiny invertebrates.
Interesting to know! Often, crickets attack their fellow crickets who have not yet reached sexual maturity.
Crickets feel comfortable at temperatures of about +20 degrees. When the temperature drops, insects become inactive. At the same time, even the development of larvae is inhibited. If the temperature drops to below zero, the insect will hibernate.
They are found not only in human homes, but also in outbuildings for various purposes. At the same time, they prefer places with high humidity and the opportunity to find shelter for themselves. Crickets are even found on the top floors of multi-storey buildings, settling on the balcony. But this is rather an exception, since they prefer boiler rooms, warm basements, etc., with the required level of humidity.
Interesting Facts! Residents of some countries believe that the “singing” of crickets is a sign of peace and comfort. The Chinese and Japanese even keep these insects in cages to enjoy the sounds they make. IN North America Crickets serve as bait for catching fish. In some Asian countries, crickets, like grasshoppers and other animals, are simply eaten.
Crickets are insects that lead a special way of life: one male controls a certain territory in which several females live. The result is something like a harem. If an outside male enters the harem, the males immediately begin to sort things out. As a result of the fight, both males may receive injuries, such as bitten off paws and whiskers. If one of the rivals wins, he can simply eat the weaker one.
Interesting to know! In some countries, crickets fight between crickets, which attracts thrill-seekers. Moreover, this happens for a reason: crickets feed in a very unique way, and before the start of the fight, the males are stimulated by showing them the females.
Insects can reproduce year-round, but their peak activity occurs during summer period. Insects mate in a burrow when the female, hearing the “singing” of the male, descends into his burrow.
After just a few days, the female is ready to lay eggs, which she does by digging a hole in the ground or piercing the stem of a plant with a long ovipositor. The more comfortable the conditions, the more eggs in the clutch. As a rule, their number ranges from 50 to 200 eggs, and in warmer regions a clutch can consist of more than 500 eggs. The eggs are shaped more like tiny white bananas.
Eggs mature over several weeks, depending on temperature conditions. As a result, nymphs are born and hide in various shelters. The larvae do not yet have wings and are very small in size, although they are externally similar to adults. During its development, the larva molts up to 10 times and only after a month and a half becomes an adult, sexually mature individual. After each molt, the cricket appears as a white insect with folded wings.
Interesting fact! In New Zealand, the caretaker of one of the parks discovered a cricket, the length of which reached 18 cm. The caretaker managed to feed it a carrot. It is believed to be the largest cricket in the world.
Recently, it has become popular to grow various insects in artificial conditions, having built primitive insectariums. Crickets are insects that take root in such conditions without any problems, especially since they feel comfortable around humans. They are often bred to be used as food for other pets.
An insectarium is a simple, small structure made of glass or plastic, the bottom of which is filled with a mixture of peat and sand. To make it light and warm, it is enough to install an incandescent lamp. It is desirable to install ventilation, as well as maintain humidity at 40%. It is enough to place 3 males and no more than 15 females in one container.
The diet of adults should include leftovers from various homemade foods, as well as apples and carrots, but only grated and not in large portions.
The diet should contain plant foods, in the form of vegetable tops and salad, as well as burdock leaves. Protein is necessary for their vital functions, so the diet should contain components such as fish flour, chicken eggs or gammarus.
Crickets are one of the families of Orthoptera insects. Its representatives love warmth and moisture, so the greatest diversity of species is found in Africa, the Mediterranean and South America. There are 2,300 species of insects, the most common being the house and field crickets. Having settled next to a person, it does not cause a negative reaction like a cockroach or a fly. The photo fully conveys what a secretive cricket looks like, and to listen to its trills, you should go out into a field or garden in the summer.
Description and area of residence
The true cricket is a typical representative of the family of Orthoptera jumping insects. Its close relatives are grasshoppers and locusts. The insect has an elongated body, a large head, and a gnawing type mouthparts. The antennae are long, thread-like, and vision is well developed. The hind legs with thickened thighs allow them to push off when jumping.
The elytra are dense, leathery, the wings are fan-shaped with veins. Females have an ovipositor, which they use to cut through stems to lay eggs. Few people know what a cricket looks like, but they have heard its chirping at dusk. It creates its trills by rubbing the elytra. The faster the vibration, the higher the sound. The special structure of the elytra makes it possible to produce sounds in a wide range.
The insects are widespread in Asia, Europe, North Africa and America. In Australia they are found only in Adelaide, where they were introduced from other countries. They find cracks for housing, dig holes or hide under stones. Activity falls in the summer months, because at temperatures below +21 0 insects become lethargic and stop feeding. The love of warmth forced crickets to seek refuge in human habitation. With the onset of autumn, they move into houses, heated warehouses and industrial buildings.
What is the cricket singing about?
Songs can only be heard from males. They need a complex “musical instrument” to attract females and build communication with other individuals. The main theme of all trills is the invitation of the female for mating. The louder and more interesting the sound, the higher the chances of procreation.
Males settle separately; they allow the presence of female representatives in their area, but will not tolerate rivals. A special chirping alerts crickets to the boundaries of foreign territory. Another type of trill is war songs. These insects are brave and formidable warriors; they always rush into battle, defending their borders.
Interesting fact. In China, fights of specially trained crickets are held annually. The males are brought together in a kind of arena and teased with straws, forcing them to start a fight. These fights are popular among the Chinese, with thousands of dollars being wagered on the winners. The losing insects face a sad fate; in the fight they lose their legs and antennae. The defeated are given to birds as food or thrown away.
Insect nutrition
In their natural environment, crickets feed on fresh grass shoots and bush leaves. Having settled on the site and significantly increased the population, they will begin to harm garden crops. Adults prefer to nibble on seedlings rather than weeds. Their diet is not limited to plant foods; insects require protein for development. Its source becomes small insects, corpses or their own offspring.
What does a cricket eat when it finds itself at home? In this case, he shows omnivorousness, eating crumbs of bread, droplets of liquid dishes and drinks, pieces of vegetables and fruits with equal pleasure. Meat or fish that falls on the floor will also be eaten by the little neighbors. Showing the instincts of a hunter, they can catch flies or small invertebrates that end up in the house.
Many seemingly harmless insects turn out to be a source of danger, so the question often arises: do crickets bite? You can rest assured about night singers, they don’t bite people. The jaws of the gnawing type are not adapted for attacking large objects; moreover, aggressiveness is shown only towards males in foreign territory.
Life cycle
Sexual differences in insects are manifested in the presence of a chirping apparatus in males and an ovipositor in females. The dimensions of the appendage are 10-15 mm; with its help, females lay eggs in the ground. The cricket is a type of insect with incomplete metamorphosis. This means that its development takes place in three stages:
- egg;
- larva;
- imago.
Varieties of crickets
Thousands of species of these insects are found in nature, mostly inhabitants of the tropics and subtropics. In hot and humid climates there are large individuals that are bought for their spectacular appearance. Among the numerous types of crickets, the most widespread are:
field cricket
Insects lead a solitary lifestyle; they settle in meadows and fields, as well as light pine forests. The field cricket digs a hole up to 20 cm deep and 2 cm in diameter. It jealously guards its home, not allowing other males to approach it. The body is black (rarely brown), smooth and shiny. The head is round on the forehead with 3 simple eyes (ocelia). The field cricket feeds on leaves, seeds, grass roots, and small invertebrates. The body length of the male is 20-23 mm, the female is slightly smaller - 17-21 mm.
The entrance to the hole is masked with a tuft of grass. If the male's chatter does not scare away the uninvited guest, a fight begins. During fights, crickets bump their foreheads, jump on each other, and try to bite off an antennae or paw. A male without part of his limbs is considered a lower creature; he will not be able to fertilize females. Field crickets have many natural enemies, so they are very shy and cautious; when they hear noise, they hide in a hole.
Poorly developed wings do not allow the insect to fly, so it searches for food by running on the ground. During the mating period, females leave home and go in search of a partner. To attract them, males emit ringing trills while sitting near their burrows. A fertilized female lays hundreds of eggs in the ground. After a month, the larvae appear and will have to molt several times before turning into a mature cricket. With the onset of winter, the larvae hibernate in the burrows; by May of next year they will turn into adults.
You can meet field musicians in Central and Southern Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. Due to frequent droughts, the number of these insects is constantly decreasing.
Interesting fact. The hearing organs of crickets are located on the front legs; they pick up sound waves and vibrations. To hear better, the insect raises one limb up.
House cricket
This is the only species that voluntarily coexists with humans. Insects find shelter, food and a favorable climate in houses. Previously, they settled in the warmest place - behind the stove. IN modern conditions it was replaced by central heating pipes. Insects prefer to spend the warm season outside; they move into houses and basements in September.
Homeland of the insect middle Asia and North Africa, will spread to colder areas, enabled by close proximity to people. The house cricket is similar to a grasshopper with a flat body. Its size is 16-25 mm, the female’s ovipositor is 11-15 mm. The main body color is yellowish-brown, with visible dark spots and stripes. The wings are well developed, the insect actively uses them for flight. There are 3 pairs of legs, thickened thighs on the hind legs help to jump long distances.
Interesting. The antennae of crickets are an organ of touch; their length exceeds the size of the body.
Only night trills allow people to notice the appearance of an insect in the house. Are reconciliations dangerous for humans or pets? They are completely safe - they do not bite, are not poisonous, and do not damage furniture or things. The only concern is the chirping at night. Insects feed on the remains of human food and catch invertebrates. They need moist places to reproduce. The peak of sexual activity is observed in the summer, but egg laying and breeding continues in human housing.
Having received an unexpected neighbor, people wonder how long does a cricket live in the house? The life of the imago (adult) is short; it will disturb with its trills for no more than 3 months.
Interesting fact. There are many signs and superstitions associated with the appearance of a cricket in the house. Among the Slavs this is a symbol marriage soon, recovery or improvement of well-being. It was strictly forbidden to kill an insect, otherwise the person would face an imminent illness and other misfortunes.
Stem cricket
The common stem cricket or trumpeter lives in the steppes and foothills, preferring to settle on bushes. Representatives of this species can be found in the steppe part of Russia, the Caucasus, northern Kazakhstan and southern Siberia. The color of the insect is from greenish to light brown. The body length of an adult (imago) is 9-14 mm, the size of the ovipositor is 6-8 mm. In the normal state, the wings are folded behind the back. The hind legs are covered with small spines.
The common trumpeter waits out the hot day under the leaves; active trills calling for females are heard in the evening and at night. Insects are phytophages; they feed on plant foods.
Attention. When ovipositing, females cut plant stems to place eggs in them. If insects are in large quantities settle in a tobacco field or in a vineyard, they cause significant damage to the planted crops.
The eastern trumpeter is a species found in the Russian Far East, Japan and China. The insect has an elongated body of a light green color, with a dark stripe visible on the abdomen. The elytra are short and transparent. The brown antennae are much longer than the body. The trumpet size is 11-13 mm. The female lays eggs in the stems and petioles of leaves; the larvae appear in July.
banana cricket
The field cricket (Gryllus assimilis) is common in Central America. His homeland is Jamaica. This is one of largest representatives families. Adults reach sizes of 18-25 mm. In favorable conditions they breed all year round. Individuals reach sexual maturity in 1 month. Insects eat plant foods and invertebrates, and there is cannibalism among them. When there is a lack of food, insects eat eggs and larvae.
Interesting fact. The males of this species chirp less than others, for which they are nicknamed “silent crickets.”
Their rapid growth and large size have made these insects the subject of breeding for pet food. Crickets are a favorite part of the diet for turtles, lizards, reptiles and birds.
Grasshopper and cricket - similarities and differences
Both insects belong to the same order Orthoptera. They have an elongated shape, a large head, and well-developed eyes. Males of both families have a chirping organ - elytra. Insects have much in common in the process of reproduction, development and nutrition, but upon close examination it is difficult to confuse them. What is the difference between a grasshopper and a cricket? Grasshoppers are larger in size, some species reach a size of 35 mm. Their body is usually colored greenish for camouflage in the grass. The hind legs of grasshoppers are much better developed, because they live on open spaces, they need powerful limbs for jumping.
The time of their activity also differs - crickets play music at night, and grasshoppers during the day. Their graph is related to the structural features of the wings. The apparatus of grasshoppers must be dry in order to make sounds. They are waiting for the warmth to dry the dew from the grass.
Surprisingly, an ordinary cricket can also be among your pets. Types and lifestyle of these insects, as well as nutrition, reproduction, maintenance and Interesting Facts can be found in this article.
History of appearance and types of crickets
These insects appeared on the planet approximately 300 million years ago. They belong to the Orthoptera order and the True crickets family, which includes 8 subfamilies. Zoologists describe this moment 2300 different species discovered. Approximately 50 species of crickets live in Russia. Of these, the most popular are brownie and field.
Habitat area
Crickets are indigenous to the Far East and North Africa. But then they spread throughout Europe. Somewhat later they appeared in North America and South Australia. The field cricket prefers steppe and forest-steppe zones and mountainous European regions. In the center of Russia it is most often found in the north of the country, on the border of its range.
In the Tula region, field cricket can be found mainly in the southern stripe, in the Vanevsky, Kimovsky, Efremovsky, Odoevsky, Kurkinsky and Novomoskovsky districts.
Field cricket: habitat and places of settlement
Crickets are heat-loving insects. They live in places where the temperature reaches at least 20 degrees. At lower temperatures, insects become inactive and almost completely stop feeding. In villages, crickets love places near stoves in winter time and go to live in nature in the summer. They prefer warmth, light and sun. They willingly settle in meadows and fields.
In the mountains, crickets usually choose to live on gradual, dry slopes where limestone is exposed or settle in adjacent heaths and meadows. But where they warm up well. Nowadays, crickets are more “modernized” and prefer to live not behind stoves, but on livestock farms. It is not only warm for them there, but also a lot of food. Or they settle in warm basements, boiler rooms and heating mains.
Appearance
The field cricket is quite small in size. Body length is from 17 to 23 centimeters. Males are larger than females. Crickets have a large head and a dense body. They are mostly black in color, but there are also brown ones. They have short front wings. Field crickets, unlike other species of their counterparts, are larger. The color is darker, the thighs are red below and inside.
Females have a thin ovipositor at the back, widened at the tip. And the shins are reddish in color. Males are distinguished by the presence of a mirror on the elytra. The sound apparatus is similar to that of a grasshopper. But in crickets it is more complex.
These insects have long antennae and three pairs of legs. The entire body (abdomen, chest and head) is covered with a durable chitinous cuticle. The jaws (mandibles) of crickets are quite powerful. All senses are well developed - touch, smell and vision. Thanks to their antennae, crickets are great at smelling and tasting food.
Field cricket: lifestyle features
He is the only insect that builds a nest for himself, in which he lives throughout his short adult life. Crickets are solitary creatures by nature. Each individual has its own territory. If she belongs to a male, then he can allow several females to live nearby.
Crickets live in nature in burrows up to 20 centimeters deep and 2 cm wide. They never go far from their home. At the slightest danger, the cricket hides in a hole. The entrance to it is masked by a tuft of grass. Crickets are very careful and timid, as they have a lot of enemies - small mammals, birds and lizards.
Fighting technique
When meeting an unexpected brother, a fight always occurs. These insects defend their territory from invasion. During the fight they bite. And they try to bite off their opponent’s antennae or paws. Crickets butt heads, make sharp attacks and kick hard. True, these insects jump poorly, but they move quickly on their paws. Despite eating plant foods, the defeated opponent is eaten by the winner.
Nutrition
The field cricket mainly feeds on plant foods. But from time to time the diet includes other, smaller insects. Adult crickets can even hunt small relatives or eat clutches of eggs laid by females. What does the field cricket eat in captivity? When kept at home, he eats crumbs of cheese and bread, milk, and pieces of various fruits.
Reproduction
During the breeding season, males sit near their burrows and call females with songs. Raising his front wings, the gentleman rubs them. Due to this, a kind of love serenade in the form of chirping is obtained. The female may not come. If the date does take place, then she will soon lay approximately 30 eggs in the ground. Over the entire breeding period, a total of up to 500.
During mating, the field cricket suspends a spermatophore similar to the one found in grasshoppers from the abdomen of the chosen one. But crickets do not have spermatophylax. When the female begins to lay eggs, she sticks her ovipositor vertically into the ground. Then he closes the hole, moves to the next place, and the procedure is repeated.
The larvae appear between two and four weeks. And in appearance they already look like adults in miniature. There is no pupation stage in crickets. The larvae always stay together. During growth they molt three times. And then they begin to separate. Each cricket begins to dig its own hole and prepare for the winter.
After winter, the young field cricket comes to the surface in the spring, when the temperature reaches +4 degrees. The last time the molt occurs, and after it the insects become adults. Then it begins new period reproduction.
There are people who keep crickets at home in insectariums (special kindergartens). They are mainly made of plastic. One garden can accommodate hundreds of crickets. It is important to provide sufficient food and water, as well as maintain a comfortable temperature for these insects. It is necessary to include protein foods in the diet. Crickets happily eat dry food for aquarium fish- Gammarus or Daphnia. If insects do not have enough protein food, they will begin to eat their weaker brothers.
How to get rid of crickets
How to destroy a field cricket living at home? There are several ways to do this:
- You can use a natural trap. Condensed milk is poured into a small container. Mixed with water and placed near the place where the cricket lives. An insect attracted by the smell jumps into the prepared syrup.
- Chemical trap. It is used indoors if there are no pets or small children in the house.
- Adhesive strips. They are placed near windows, on doors and walls. Insects stick to them.
- Spray. You can use any insect repellent, even Dichlorvos. But such sprays should be sprayed if there are no children or pets at home.
- Some people use a regular vacuum cleaner to kill crickets. You need to change or remove the nozzle and go through all corners of the house. In this way, even unborn offspring can be destroyed.
Ecology is important for the reproduction of crickets. The field cricket feeds not only on plant foods, but also eats smaller fellows. And even insect corpses, since crickets need protein. But thanks to their insatiable appetite, they can also cause harm to summer cottages considerable. Crickets eat any plant and its roots. Therefore, sometimes dacha owners have to get rid of the invasion of “singers”. You can do this in several ways:
- the use of complex measures - chemical and agrotechnical;
- Regular loosening of the soil helps a lot;
- the area can be treated with biological products “Antonem-F” or “Nemabakt”;
- install birdhouses or bird feeders on the site;
- Snakes help very well in the fight (these are the enemies of crickets);
- after harvesting in the fall, you need to clean the area, clearing it of wood, chips and film residues to prevent crickets from overwintering under them;
- You can use box baits;
- wormwood can simply be laid out between the beds or watered with a decoction prepared from this herb;
- You can sprinkle the ground near the stems with hot hot pepper.
Cricket fights “without rules”
The aggressiveness of male crickets has given rise to an unusual gambling spectacle - fights. There is a version that they were invented in China approximately 1000 years ago, during the reign of Sun. But cricket fights were also held with no less success in Thailand and Malaysia.
For this purpose, insects were caught at the end of summer. Then the male crickets were released into a mini-arena. They immediately began to fight until the bitter end. The defeated person was thrown out of the arena, fled from it, or was killed by his opponent. The winner was even given a certain title.
Such cricket fights were very expensive, the stakes were very high. The remains of the winners were then stored in silver mini-coffins. During their lifetime, fighting crickets were looked after by specially hired people. The insects were on a specially designed diet, and for colds they were even given medications. To raise the tone and morale of the crickets, females were brought in for 2 hours every day.
Peculiarities
The field cricket is an endangered species. Noted as a rare and localized species. In the Tula region, only 9 habitats of field crickets have been observed. This is a rare species. Crickets are not at all prone to dispersal, but if their numbers increase, especially in hot summers, then insects can fly away and settle even hundreds of meters from their usual habitats. Since they dig holes for themselves, they avoid settling on arable land or in excavation sites.
The life cycle of crickets is from 90 to 120 days. But an adult insect lives only a month and a half. There are also “long-livers” who live for 7 months, but they live in the tropics. Field crickets, including wintering, last from 14 to 15 months.
The field cricket sings using its elytra, which it rubs against each other. They are tough and the process produces a beautiful warble. Crickets can sing all day long, often in the evenings and even at night. But at the slightest danger or alarm, they calm down and hide in their holes.
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