57 



FAMILY— CRICKETS. 



(Gryllidac) (Plate 9.) 



The Crickets are easily distinguished from other 

 families by the rounded head, brown to black colour, 

 and by the pair of spines on the end of the body. 

 In addition to these spines the female has a spear- 

 shaped ovipositor. The hind legs are also spined 

 and strongly developed for hopping. The antennae 

 are long and thread-like. There are usually only 

 3 tarsi, more rarely 2 or 4. The part of the tegima 

 used far producing sound is larger than that in the 

 Long-horns (Phasgonurids). The auditory organ 

 is on the front leg as in Phasgonurids. 



Life History of a Common Black Field Cricket. 



Grylliis commodiis. 



The female places her ovipositor into the soil in 

 varied places, depositing numerous eggs. A day or 

 more may be devoted to this process. Each tgg is 

 elliptical, about one-tenth of an inch in length, with 

 a tiny lid or cap on one end. After about three 

 weeks, the young crickets appear, pushing the cap 

 from the tgg as they emerge. At first they are 

 white, about j inch long, and without wings. The 

 colour soon changes to brown and then to black. 

 The adult stage is reached after the insect has 



