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Tree crickets were first described in science by Italian physician and naturalist Giovanni Scopoli in 1763. The Narrow-winged tree cricket -- a species found in the U.S. -- was first described by Swedish amateur entomologist Charles De Geer in 1773. Tree crickets are found around the world, in a variety of colors, and live in trees, shrubs, bushes, plants and grasses. If you've ever been outdoors in summer or autumn, day or night, chances are that you have heard the loud and beautiful trilling songs of male tree crickets.
LIFE CYCLE of Oecanthinae
VIDEO OF LIFE CYCLE EVENTS To view a 14 minute video with photos and video clips showing Life Cycle for Tree Crickets, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc4ZakUehHU Four highly recommended resources: http://buzz.ifas.ufl.edu/s576a.htm -- Singing Insects of North America ( SINA ) http://bugguide.net/node/view/158769 -- BugGuide (Tree Crickets info page) http://buzz.ifas.ufl.edu/s576lf15.pdf -- 1915 article by Bentley B. Fulton (Covers basics) http://buzz.ifas.ufl.edu/i00lb20.pdf -- 1920 article by Willis S. Blatchley (Anatomy info) Important contributors to the study of Oecanthinae: Charles DeGeer 1720 - 1778 http:// http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_De_Geer Willis S. Blatchley 1859 - 1940 http://www-museum.unl.edu/research/entomology/workers/WBlatchley.htm#INTERNET: %20>
Richard D. Alexander - Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/rda.html Publications at http://www.ummz.umich.edu/insects/publications/misc-pubs.html Thomas J. Walker - Professor Emeritus, University of Florida http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/walker Publications at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/walker/tjwbibi.htm Additional websites with information on Oecanthinae: http://www.insectariumvirtual.com/galeria/search.php displays photos of tree cricket species | ||||
This is a female Davis' tree cricket. Her sleek silhouette and translucent green color give her an elegant appearance.
The female Davis' tree cricket in the photo above is now the subject of a children's book entitled Trixie the Tree Cricket. It was written to as a tool for my mission to increase awareness of the beauty and charm of tree crickets. It can be purchased or downloaded at: 
Tree cricket eggs are 'oviposited' into plant stems or tree branches by adult females. These eggs develop over winter and hatch the following year - in late spring or early summer. Each species of tree cricket has their own preferences for ovipositing their eggs. Some make a single hole and lay several eggs side by side; others make a row of holes and lay a single egg in each hole. 
The eggs lie within the stems as they develop. Even in the harshest of winters in northern climates, these tiny little eggs manage to survive. Each species has minute differences in the appearance of their eggs - such as length, width, shape and cap. 
These delicate little nymphs manage to free themselves from an egg casing imbedded in stems or branches. What they lack in musculature, they make up for in sheer determination. Some nymphs never manage to free themselves from the egg; some get caught in or on the opening. 
Black markings on the first two segments of the antennae help in species identification for most tree crickets. 
Tree Crickets shed their exoskeleton five times between the nymph stage and adulthood. 
Male tree crickets have paddle shaped wings which when opened have a heart-shaped appearance. Wings of the male lay flat atop the abdomen, while wings of the female bend snugly around the sides of her body. 
Male tree crickets sing to attract females. Each species has a unique sound -- although it can be difficult to identify them by sound alone. Some have a continuous trill, some trill in short bursts and one makes rapid 'cricket-like' trills. They all raise their wings while singing....and their sound travels for long distances. 
Males have an area on their upper back called 'metanotal glands.' They are sometimes called 'honey pots.' They secrete a liquid that entices the females, and which they feed upon. This results in the female being in perfect position for the male to transfer his 'spermatophore.' 
After the male transfers the spermatophore, he continues to sing so that the female will continue to feed from his metanotal gland. This ensures the sperm empties out of the spermatophore before the female detaches it and consumes it. If you look very closely, you can see the small pinkish orb at the left rear on the female. (This photo is inverted for ease of viewing -- the pair were actually hanging upside down.) 
This female Two-Spotted Tree Cricket is ovipositing eggs into a 2-inch diameter branch of a crabapple tree. 
Bentley B. Fulton 1889 - 1960 
Article to the left is from American Entomologists by Arnold Mallis, Rutgers University Press, 1971.
