The field cricket, with its chirping call, is one of the most familiar insects in North America. Nocturnal in its habits, the omnivorous field cricket feeds on a variety of insects, including aphids, and on vegetation.

G.I. Bernard/Oxford Scientific Films

Field Cricket," Microsoft® Encarta® 96 Encyclopedia. © 1993-1995 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Crickets Singing

The characteristic chirping sound of the cricket comes not from vocal cords but from the insect’s wings. A male cricket scrapes the sharp ridge on the left front wing (left) against the flat “mirror” area of the right front wing (center). His song attracts females, which use their legs to hear it. Just below a cricket’s knee joint, a membranous organ called a tympanum (right) detects sound vibrations.

Dorling Kindersley

Crickets Singing," Microsoft® Encarta® 96 Encyclopedia. © 1993-1995 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

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