Grasshoppers & Crickets

Grasshoppers, crickets and their allies form the order Orthoptera. Most people readily recognize members of this group by their long back legs, used for jumping, and by the noises they make - mostly at night. The division of the various groups is a little artifical but, in general, crickets tend to be dark brown or blackish; grasshoppers are elongate, predominantly green or light brown and have short antennae; bush-crickets (including katydids) are usually bright green with very long legs and antennae and often mimic leaves in their appearance.

Males of most species in this group defend territories and attract mates by stridulation. This is the act of making a sound by rubbing or vibrating certain parts of the body. This tends to be achieved either by rubbing the legs against the wing edges, or by rubbing or vibrating the wing cases rapidly.

At this stage, be sure to read the text next to the pictures and go for the best match, as the next stage will help you get to the exact species.

(For a list of all cricket and grasshopper species on the site, click here)


Use the photos below to narrow your search to a group of Grasshoppers, Crickets or Buch-crickets, then click on the picture to go to the next stage.

Crickets
Greenhouse Camel Cricket Camel Crickets
Peculiarly hump-backed crickets with remarkably long antennae. Usually found in dark, enclosed spaces and particularly fond of basements.
Sand Field Cricket Crickets
Heavy-bodied, chunky insects that are mostly dark brown or blackish in color. Most species are largely nocturnal in behavior but can be found during the day by looking under stones, fallen logs and similar objects. Some species also regularly enter homes and other buildings.
Mischievous Bird Grasshopper Grasshoppers
Chunky, long-bodied insects with noticeably enlarged hind legs. Most species have a 'neckless' appearance and are predominantly light brown or green, often with camouflage markings. Some species have colored wings that are revealed in flight. Most are ground living and occur in open, grassy places.
Common True Katydid Bush-crickets & Katydids
Most species in this group are largely green in color and often mimic leaves in their outward appearance. Hind legs are often extremely long, as are the antennae. Largely tree-living species but some also inhabit lower bushes and grassy places.