38 
NATURE STUDY NOTES 
THE CRICKET 
DESCRIPTION—There are several species, the 
one most frequently seen in New Zealand being 
almost entirely black in colour. Its front legs are 
stronger than those of the Grasshopper. With their 
aid it makes the holes in the ground in which it 
hides during most of the day. Its antennae are of 
medium length, being longer than those of the 
Locust, but shorter than those of the Grass-hopper. 
It has four wings which it seldom uses, and which 
are absent from young Crickets. 
HABITS—It makes “chirruping” noises at short 
intervals, usually in the afternoon and until long 
after sunset. On a fine star-light night, the con¬ 
tinuous “chirrup, chirrup” of the Crickets is almost 
as incessant as the “zooming’' noises of the Cicadas 
in the daytime. 
FOOD Tender bark of the stems, and also the 
leaves of plants, shrubs and young trees. 
CYCLE—Neither grub nor pupa stage. Female 
C ricket makes a hole in the ground which ends in 
a short tunnel. She lays her eggs at the end of 
this tunnel, and the young Crickets hatch out of 
them some months later. 
NOTES—The Cricket is considered a pest by the 
gardener and the orchardist. (See Food.) Crickets 
have become so numerous in many districts that 
they have extended their ravages to the foliage of 
such crops as runner beans and tomatoes. (Illus¬ 
tration p. 29.) 
