How to Identify Crickets

Crickets are interesting insects that can be found in many parts of the country during the warm months. Whether you want to keep a cricket as a pet or use crickets to feed another pet, you will need to know how to identify them or you just might end up with the wrong insect.

Things You'll Need

  • Magnifying glass
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Instructions

    • 1

      Look at the back legs. One of the main ways to identify crickets is by their long back legs. A crickets legs are so long that they are bent up in an upside down 'v' shape. The cricket uses these long powerful legs to jump great distances.

    • 2

      Look at the antennae. Crickets have extremely long antennae. The antennae of a cricket will be at least as long as its whole body and sometimes, depending on the species, even longer. If it doesn't have long antennae, it probably isn't a cricket.

    • 3

      Check the color. Crickets are normally brown, black, and sometimes gray. If the insect is green it might in fact be a katydid or a tree cricket or even a grasshopper. Cave crickets may have brown stripes.

    • 4

      Listen to the insect. A cricket makes a chirping noise that can be quite loud. Crickets chirp both at night and during the day. If your insect doesn't chirp, it doesn't necessarily mean that it isn't a cricket. Only the male crickets chirp in order to attract female crickets.