The house cricket (Acheta domesticus) is a member of the cricket family (Gryllidae) within the grasshopper suborder (Ensifera). This information immediately disproves the misconception many people have that the cricket is a beetle. If we would like to place the cricket in some generally known group of insects, it is more likely to be a grasshopper.
The cricket grows to a size of 17 to 20 mm. Adults live to a maximum of 1-2 years. It is classified as an insect with imperfect transformation, so that immature nymphs are very similar to adults. However, the nymphs lack wings. They mature in about 3 months, but the maturation process can be accelerated many times by increasing the temperature. They molt up to 11 times during puberty. Did you know that insects shed not only the outer chitinous cuticle, but also parts of the digestive tube, which is lined with chitin?
Where do you find it?
The cricket is a thermophilic creature, preferring places with temperatures above 28°C. That's why it's also called domestic, because that's what it likes, the warmth of home. It can't survive cold winter temperatures, so it takes refuge in human dwellings. It is active at night, when its presence cannot go unnoticed. The males make a loud chirping sound, caused by the rubbing of their wings together. This attracts females, wards off rivals and stakes out their territory. The females are distinguished from the males by the presence of up to 15 mm long clavicles. With its help, the female lays up to 300 eggs. However, the cricket is a very shy creature and tends to hide in places that are not easily accessible. It can be warned of danger by auditory receptors located on the front pair of legs and on the sides of the thorax. Thanks to the location of the receptors, the cricket can identify where the sound is coming from.
And what does a cricket eat?
It's a typical omnivore, devouring almost anything that's digestible. It prefers food of plant origin, mostly fruit and leafy vegetables.
The room in which crickets breed is called a cricket house.
It has a soft body and limbs. That's why it's become a popular insect delicacy.
Isn't a cricket like that delicious?