What Are Behaviors of Grasshoppers & Crickets?
Crickets and grasshoppers are both part of the Orthoptera order of insecta and both identifiable by their elongated legs, which serve different functions. A cricket utilizes it´s legs to create a unique "singing chirp" noise to attract mates, while a grasshopper uses it´s legs to jump and propel itself to great heights and distances. Some cultures keep crickets as pets, supposedly bestowing "luck" on the household, while grasshoppers are eaten around the world because of their high protein content.
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Cricket Feeding Behavior
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Crickets scavenge for their food and are omnivores by nature. They feed on organic materials, such as fruits, berries, other insect remains, decaying plant material, fungi, and small plants. They are solitary while foraging for foods, preferring to do this at night under the cover of darkness to avoid predators.
Cricket Mating Behavior
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Male crickets attract females by rubbing their hind legs together that produces a high-pitch sound. Females use this call to locate and choose a suitable mating partner.The male fertilizes the eggs and the female finds a safe spot in shallow soil to deposit the egg sack.
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Grasshopper Feeding Behavior
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Grasshoppers on the other hand are herbivores, preferring to feed on plants, cereal crops, flowers, and grasses. Some varieties of grasshoppers only feed on grasses. They feed actively during the day, but are also known to sometimes eat at night. Grasshoppers eat about 16 times their weight, while feeding.
Grasshopper Mating Behavior
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Male grasshoppers begin the mating process by approaching moving females. They use visual signals, such as the male rising and lowering the hind body and antennae. The process of fertilizing the female eggs will last as long as 5 minutes. After the eggs are fertilized the female grasshopper lays her eggs in the soil at a shallow depth, covering the hole till they hatch.
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References
- Photo Credit cricket image by Gail Oswald from Fotolia.com
