Striped Ground Cricket
Allonemobius fasciatus
This is a female – note sword-like ovipositor
True crickets (family Gryllidae) are harmless, nocturnal insects famous for their chirping, technically known as stridulation.
The sound has become a literal indication of “nothing happening,” in popular culture.
Only male crickets chirp, usually to attract females or repel other males.
In a nutshell: the sound is produced when the cricket rubs the serrated edges of his wings together.
An very young orbweaver spider (L. cornutus) chased this cricket away by continually attacking its antennae.
Like many processes in cold-blooded animals, the rate of chirping is dependant on the ambient air temperature, and it is possible to calculate approximate air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit by counting the chirps per 14 seconds and adding 40.
References
- Bugguide.net, “Allonemobius fasciatus“
- George Johnson & Robert Hogg, Journal of Horticulture, Cottage Gardener
Tree Encyclopedia
North American Insects & Spiders
Online since 2002
