Kingdom animalia
Phylum Arthropod
Class Insecta
Order Orthoptera
Crickets are insects belonging to the Order Orthoptera, as are locusts and, in some classifications, cockroaches. This group is characterized by representatives with large heads, compound eyes, long antennae and chewing mouthparts. Some also have strong wings and/or hind legs adapted for jumping. All crickets have this last characteristic, and most have wings.
There are about 900 species of crickets around the world. They are predominantly nocturnal animals; they live in burrows, built by them; and they feed on plants, insects, fungi and human food remains. They are about two and a half centimeters long, and colors ranging from black, brown, green and white.
The sound that the crickets make is performed by the males, from the friction of their wings, and is scientifically called stridulation. It is through this act that crickets identify individuals of the same species, communicate with each other and attract females for reproduction.
Fun facts about crickets:
- In many cultures, these animals are considered synonymous with good luck;
- In some cricket species, such as Platycleis affinis, males have very large testicles, representing approximately 14% of their body mass;
- The breeding of crickets was once a widespread hobby among the Chinese, who kept them in cages made of bamboo or wood;
- Many countries have cricket farms, mainly aimed at marketing them to specialized restaurants and fishing shops, to be sold as bait;
- The act of eating insects is called entomophagy.
By Mariana Araguaia
Graduated in Biology
