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What are the differences and similarities in grasshopper vs cricket? Most people ask, are crickets and grasshoppers the same? Many mistake crickets for grasshoppers. These two insects look alike and are related to each other, but that does not mean they are the same.
However, they both share similar habitats and have some common characteristics. Crickets and grasshoppers belong to the order Orthoptera, and they share a common ancestor.
Here are the similarities and differences of a grasshopper vs cricket.
Grasshopper vs Cricket Similarities
The following are some of the similarities between these two insects:
- The insects have long back legs that allow them to jump far and high. They also use these legs to communicate by making a chirping sound.
- They both belong to the same family.
- Grasshoppers and crickets live in the same environment.
- They have simple and compound eyes.
Grasshopper vs Cricket Differences
So, what is the difference between a cricket and a grasshopper? These insects have various fundamental variations that set them apart. These differences range from their body sizes, colors to the sounds they make.
- Size and Color
Grasshoppers are generally larger than crickets, and they can grow up to four inches. Crickets can reach up to two inches. Crickets have long antennas in relation to their bodies, while grasshoppers have short pairs of antennas.
Grasshoppers have bright green colors that enable them to camouflage to the surrounding environment. On the other hand, crickets usually have black or brown shades.
- Diet
Grasshoppers are herbivores, and they will mostly eat leaves, plant stems, grasses, and flowers.
Crickets are omnivores, and they feed on different plant types, dead insects, larvae, insects’ eggs, aphids, pupae, among other things.
- Active Time
Grasshoppers are known to be active during the day since they are diurnal insects. They will hang out in the dry and open grassy areas in the daytime to feed.
On the contrary, crickets are nocturnal insects, hence active at night. They usually hide under logs, in long grass, and beneath rocks.
- Singing Method
Grasshopper vs. cricket makes a chirping noise using various parts of their bodies referred to as stridulation. Some songs are meant to attract mates, or to warn others, more so the males.
Grasshoppers produce a slight fluttering noise by rubbing their long hind legs against their wings. Crickets create a chirping noise by directly rubbing their wings together.
Their chirps’ pitches can vary by either slowing down or speeding up their scraper’s movement.
- Locomotion
Are crickets and grasshoppers the same in movement? The majority of crickets do not have wings and move from one place to another by jumping.
On the other hand, most grasshoppers have wings that enable them to fly and jump.
- Sense of Hearing
Grasshoppers detect sound using the sensory organs beneath their abdomen.
Crickets use their sensory organs on the forelegs for sound detection.
- Pests
Research shows that grasshoppers reproduce in large numbers under better environmental conditions. They are a serious threat when they inflict large agricultural plantations. Some grasshopper species are used as a delicacy in some countries.
Crickets are not pests and do not damage crops. Besides, they don’t procreate in huge numbers. In some countries, crickets are kept as pets and consumed as food.
- Laying of Eggs
Grasshoppers lay their eggs and deposit them in the ground about one inch down in hayfields, weedy areas, and grassy ditches.
On the other hand, crickets find a warm and quiet place to lay their eggs. The females usually hide the eggs from their male mates, who tend to damage the eggs.
The female crickets frequently relocate their eggs before hatching. The ability of the female to hide the eggs from the male determines their survival. Crickets’ eggs hatch in two weeks.
- Habitats
Grasshoppers vs. crickets are not social insects. They are loners, but they can be semi-social, meaning they can move in large numbers.
Grasshoppers do not have territory or build nests since they keep on migrating for food. They mostly like to hop and fly around in the sunshine.
Crickets build their nests under the rocks, soil, or decaying plant matter. They usually prefer to live in dark, calm, and damp areas.
Learn more on identifying crickets here.
Conclusion
The above points help to answer what is the difference between a cricket and a grasshopper. They both inhabit bushes, meadows, grasslands, caves, and marshes.
Grasshoppers are active during the day, while crickets are active at night. In addition, crickets move by jumping because they don’t have wings, while grasshoppers can fly, jump, or crawl.
