Crickets are Orthopteran insects which are related to bush crickets, and, more distantly, to grasshoppers. In older literature, such as Imms, "crickets" were placed at the family level (i.e. Gryllidae), but contemporary authorities including Otte now place them in the superfamily Grylloidea. They are among what is probably the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago. Grasshoppers are typically ground-dwelling insects with powerful hind legs which allow them to escape from threats by leaping vigorously. As hemimetabolous insects, they do not undergo complete metamorphosis; they hatch from an egg into a nymph or "hopper" which undergoes five moults, becoming more similar to the adult insect at each developmental stage. At high population densities and under certain environmental conditions, some grasshopper species can change color and behavior and form swarms. Under these circumstances, they are known as locusts. Learn more about Cricket and grasshopper
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Cricket and Grasshopper Species Videos
View All Cricket and Grasshopper Videos
Common Name | Scientific Name | Conservation Status |
Carolina Grasshopper (3 videos) | Dissosteira carolina | Not Available |
Common Meadow Grasshopper (9 videos) | Orchelimum vulgare | Not Available |
Kiowa Grasshopper (1 videos) | Trachyrhachys kiowa | Not Available |
Lubber Grasshopper (35 videos) | Brachystola magna | Not Available |
Short-winged Meadow Grasshopper (16 videos) | Conocephalus brevipennis | Not Available |
Two-striped Grasshopper (7 videos) | Melanoplus bivittatus | Not Available |
Vagrant Grasshopper (1 videos) | Schistocerca nitens | Not Available |