Cricket (insect)

Crickets are diverse insects belonging to the superfamily Grylloidea.

They are part of the order Orthoptera, making them relatives of grasshoppers and bush crickets. These insects are found nearly everywhere on Earth. They exist at almost all latitudes except for cold regions above 55 degrees North or South. Crickets live in many environments, including forests, grasslands, marshes, and even dark caves. Some species live underground in burrows, while others live in the high canopy of trees.

A cricket's body is usually cylindrical with a round head. Their heads feature long, slender antennae and large compound eyes. Behind the head is a smooth, strong section called the pronotum. The hind legs are specially built for jumping. They have enlarged femora, which are the thick segments of the leg. At the end of the abdomen, crickets have two long appendages called cerci. Females also possess a long, narrow organ called an ovipositor for laying eggs.

Many male crickets are famous for their loud, persistent songs. They produce this sound through a process called stridulation. This happens when they rub their front wings, known as elytra, together. The elytra are tough and leathery, acting as a protective shield. One wing has a file-like structure with tiny serrations. The other wing has a scraper that rubs against this file. To make the sound louder, a thick membrane called a harp resonates. This vibration is further amplified by the air pocket between the wings and the body.

Crickets use different songs for different social reasons. A calling song is loud and serves to attract females or repel other males. A courting song is used when a female is nearby to encourage mating. Some males even produce a triumphal song after successful mating. They can also produce an aggressive song if they detect another male through their antennae. To hear these sounds, crickets use special hearing organs called tympana. These are located on the tibiae, which are the segments of their front legs.

Temperature plays a major role in how crickets behave. There is a specific relationship known as Dolbear's law. This law connects the rate of chirping to the surrounding temperature. For a snowy tree cricket, you can estimate the temperature in Fahrenheit. You count the chirps produced in 14 seconds and then add 40 to that number. Generally, as the temperature rises, the rate of chirping also increases.

Evolutionary pressure can change how crickets communicate. In 1975, Dr. William H. Cade discovered that a parasitic fly called Ormia ochracea uses cricket songs to find its host. The fly uses the mating signal to locate the male and deposit its larvae. In response, some populations have changed. On the Hawaiian islands of Kauai and Oahu, mutations have occurred. Some crickets became mute to avoid the flies. Others developed a new "purring" signal that attracts females but is harder for the flies to hear.

Crickets are also significant to human culture and industry. They appear often in literature, such as the Talking Cricket in Pinocchio or works by Charles Dickens. In some parts of the world, they are a food source. In Southeast Asia, they are often sold deep-fried in markets as snacks.

Because they are efficient at converting food into body mass, they are candidates for large-scale food production. They are also commonly used to feed carnivorous pets and zoo animals.