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Grasshoppers, crickets, and locusts belong to the order Orthoptera . Members of the order Orthoptera share a common ancestor, and while all of these insects look alike at first glance, each has unique characteristics.
The order Orthoptera
Based on physical and behavioral characteristics, Orthoptera can be divided into four groups
- Dictyoptera, cockroaches and mantises.
- Grylloblattids, blatodean crickets.
- Ensifera, crickets.
- Caelifera, grasshoppers and locusts.
There are about 24,000 species of the order Orthoptera worldwide. Most, including grasshoppers and crickets, are herbivores. The size of the Orthoptera is highly variable, from the smallest less than half a centimeter long to some that can measure 30 cm. Some, like locusts, form pests that can destroy crops in minutes. The locust plague is one of the ten plagues described in the biblical book of Exodus. Others, like crickets, are harmless and are even considered good luck signs.
Crickets
Crickets can be related to some grasshoppers, since they have a very similar appearance. They lay their eggs in the soil or on the leaves, using specific organs (ovipositor) to insert the eggs in the soil or in plant tissues. There are crickets all over the world. The 2,400 species of crickets are jumping insects between 2 and 50 mm long. They have four wings; the two forewings are leathery and rigid, while the two hindwings are membranous and are used for flight.
Crickets are green or white. They can live on the ground or in trees and shrubs, where they feed mainly on aphids and ants. The most distinctive aspect of crickets is their song. Male crickets rub a scraper on one forewing against a set of teeth on another to produce the sound. They can vary the pitch of the sound by speeding up or slowing down the movement of their scraper. Some of the sounds produced by crickets are intended to attract females, while some sounds are made to warn other males of their presence. Both male and female crickets have very sensitive hearing.
The higher the temperature, the louder and louder the crickets chirp. In fact, the cricket Oecanthus fultoni is so sensitive to temperature that it is often called the thermometer cricket . The exact temperature in degrees Fahrenheit can be calculated by counting the number of chirps in 15 seconds and then adding 40 to that number.
Grasshopper
Grasshoppers are very similar to crickets, although of course different. They can be green or brown in color, with yellow or red markings. Most grasshoppers lay their eggs on the ground. Like crickets, grasshoppers can make a sound with their forewings, but the sound made by grasshoppers is more like a buzz than a chirp. Unlike crickets, grasshoppers are awake and active during the day.
Differences Between Crickets and Grasshoppers
The following table outlines the main traits that differentiate most grasshoppers and locusts from their close cousins, crickets (as with any rule, there may be exceptions).
| Characteristic | Grasshopper | Crickets |
| antennas | short | long |
| auditory organ | in the abdomen | on the front legs |
| Sound | rubbing the hind leg against the forewing | rubbing the forewings against each other |
| Ovipositor | short | long, extended |
| Activity | diurnal | nocturnal |
| Eating habits | herbivorous | predator, omnivore or herbivore |
Sources
www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-difference-between-grasshoppers-and-locusts.html Accessed May 2018.
scienceing.com/tell-cricket-from-grasshopper-2066009.html accessed May 2018.
