Field Cricket
Taxonomy
Orthoptera » Ensifera » Grylloidea » Gryllidae » Gryllinae » Gryllus campestris
Status
UK
Distribution Map
Colours show the year of the last record -
| up to 1987 | 1988-97 | 1998 up to present |
Only Recording Scheme datasets are included. Other datasets on the Gateway may hold additional information.
Recordings
Description
Shiny black cricket with a large head. The forewings have a yellow base, the thighs are red on the underside.
Size
17-23 mm
Wings
Forewings extend beyond the middle of the abdomen, hindwings are only vestigial.
Stridulation
Males have a loud song consisting of short chirps repeated several times a second, which is performed in front of their burrows and can be heard up to 100m.
Food
Mainly herbivorous, feeding on grasses.
Habitat
South facing short turf on sandy or chalk soils with patches of bare ground.
Phenology
Late instar nymphs and adults overwinter in distinctive burrows with horizontal entrances. Adults are present from April onwards, they mate and lay eggs from May to July and die by August.