Instructions
Look at the cricket's rear end. An adult cricket will have two visible cerci, with one protruding from each side of its abdomen. A cercus has a needle-like appearance, and it acts as a sensory organ in both males and females. On male crickets, the cerci are generally more prominent.
Check between the two cerci for an ovipositor, which is similar in appearance to a cercus but slightly longer. The ovipositor sits directly between the two cerci, as a tail-like appendage. A female cricket will have three abdominal protrusions, consisting of two cerci and an ovipositor, while a male will have two cerci only. A female cricket's ovipositor enables her to deposit eggs on the ground after fertilization.
Listen for chirping. Adult male crickets chirp using a process known as stridulation. They create this characteristic sound by rubbing serrated wing veins together. Females lack the ability to chirp, so a cricket who emits this sound is certainly a male.
How to Tell a Female or Male Cricket
Crickets have very noticeable exterior sex differences, including the highly visible ovipositor, a reproductive organ seen in female crickets. Male and female crickets also display notable behavioral differences.