Taxonomy*There's no specific cricket that is used in the song by Drop City Yacht Club, however here is an example of a field crickets taxonomy* (R2)
DietCrickets feed on plants and sometimes other insects. They also decay plant material, fungi, and seedling plants (R3). Cricekts require a high protein diet or else sometimes they prey on each other. Crickets in the nymph stage are at higher risk to be eaten by larger crickets or other insects (R8).
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HabitatCrickets can be found under rocks and logs in meadows, pastures and along roadside, or some other yard debris. Many are nocturnal Female crickets prefer to lay eggs in the soil in areas that are less traveled and that are safe from predators. This factor makes the shelter of a log or other natural objects even more vital (R3).
MatingTo attract females, male crickets will rub there wings together producing a 'song' which is commonly known as a chirp. After mating, a fertile female can easily lay 100 eggs, and as many as 200 eggs, during her life. The female will use her ovipositor, which is a long structure that grows out of the tail, to deposit those eggs in a suitable place (R8).
Life StagesThe average cricket lives for about a year but there life cycle can last two to three months (R8). Cricket life cycle consists of three stages of development: egg, nymph and adult. The egg is usually laid in the soil during the fall. Once hatched, it will have developed into a nymph. As a new cricket, the nymph looks like an adult. The difference is that males at this stage have not developed their wings. Also, females haven't developed ovipositors for reproduction. In order to grow, crickets shed their skin (molt). Once a cricket reaches maturity its wings are fully developed and it only has two goals: eating and mating (R3).
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AppearanceCrickets are similar to grasshoppers and katydids as they are part of the Orthopterans. Cricket wings are too short for them to fly. Instead their wings, only males, are used to chirp. These insects can jump or travel short distances by producing jerky moves.
There are over 900 species of crickets. They are usually 1 to 2 inches long. They can vary in color such as black, red, brown, or green. They have two long antennas. These antennas can aid the cricket to find food or detect movement of the prey. Their vision is excellent due to the compound structure of the eyes consisting of large number of lenses. They also have three simple eyes. The compound eyes allow the cricket to see in multiple directions at once, while the simple eyes evaluate lightness and darkness (R4). Social behaviorOnly male crickets chirp. There are different songs that the male play such as for courtship, fighting, and sounding an alarm (R4). A "calling" song is usually songs to attract females for reproduction. "Fighting" songs are used for territorial defense. They are nocturnal insects, so often heard at night but can be heard during the day as well.
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