A familiar black cricket whose cheerful chirp marks spring and summer evenings. Males chirp to attract females; chirp rate corresponds to temperature (Dolbear's Law lets you estimate temperature from cricket chirps).
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
Gryllus veletis, commonly known as the spring field cricket, is abundant throughout eastern North America. G. veletis is a solitary, aggressive, omnivorous, burrow-inhabiting species of cricket. This species is commonly confused with Gryllus pennsylvanicus, as they inhabit the same geographical area. However, the two species are easily distinguished through examination of life history, ovipositor and behavioural differences. Predators of G. veletis include American toads, wild turkeys, red-tailed hawks, wolf spiders and red-backed salamanders.
Source: Wikipedia — Gryllus veletis Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Stocky black cricket; long thin antennae longer than body; large hind jumping legs; females have prominent ovipositor.
Similar species. Fall Field Cricket (very similar; different emergence timing). House Cricket (introduced; smaller; tan body). Tree Crickets (slender, green).
Voice. Loud sustained chirp; rate increases with temperature.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Detritus, plant material, occasional insect prey.
Behavior. Familiar early-spring cricket of eastern North America. Among the first crickets to sing each year — males begin chirping in late April. Closely related to Fall Field Cricket; the two species emerge at different times of year, partitioning the resource of breeding habitat. Songs of male crickets can be used to estimate temperature: counting chirps per 15 seconds and adding 37 gives the approximate temperature in Fahrenheit (Dolbear's Law).
§ Range
Across North America
§ Habitat
Fields, lawns, gardens, woodland edges
§ Threats
Pesticide drift, lawn-centric yards reducing habitat.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the spring field cricket is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Maintain leaf litter and brushy corners. Skip pesticides. Enjoy summer chorus.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Gryllus veletis
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Gryllus veletis
- iNaturalist · taxon 49245
- IUCN Red List — search for Gryllus veletis
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Gryllus veletis
§ Sources cited
- BugGuide
- Cornell University Cricket Project
- Songs of Insects
- iNaturalist
