Cedar Creek
Natural History Area

Insects of Cedar Creek

Order ORTHOPTERA

Family GRYLLIDAE

(Crickets)

(Table of Species)

The Gryllidae (96 NA spp, 12 MN spp) has three subfamilies occuring in Minnesota:  The Gryllinae (black field crickets) and Nemobiinae (brown ground crickets) are predominantly scavengers feeding on plant/animal debris while the Oecanthinae (pale bush crickets) are predaceous on soft bodied insects.  Ten species have been collected at CCNHA, but a few more are likely to occur here.

GRYLLINAE
The Spring Field Cricket, Gryllus veletis, and Fall Field Cricket, Gryllus pennsylvanicus, are black ground crickets that are commonly heard but infrequently seen. They occur in most mesic fields on the Area. Adults and nymphs scavenge and feed on plant roots.

NEMOBIINAE
Nemobius fasciatus is a common brown ground cricket found in a variety of dry-mesic fields in late summer. Nemobius griseus is considerably less common. Nemobius carolinus has also been collected at light. Nemobius palustris is a rare species of sphagnum bogs. It has been collected at Beckman Lake. These species are also scavengers and root feeders.

OECANTHINAE
The Bush Crickets, genus Oecanthus, are generally found in shrubs/trees where they are predators of soft-bodied insects.  A common species found in weedy old fields at CCNHA is Oecanthus quadripunctatus.  O. nigricornis and O. argentinus are also present but considerably less abundant. O. fultoni occurs on hazel in savanna regions.

jhaar@lter.umn.edu Last updated May, 2000