Despite their similar appearances and shared ability to produce sounds, grasshoppers and crickets are distinct insects. Both belong to the same insect order, Orthoptera, which includes all “straight-winged” insects. However, they are classified into different suborders and families, indicating their separate evolutionary paths.
Understanding the Similarities
Grasshoppers and crickets share several characteristics. As members of the Orthoptera order, they both possess powerful hind legs adapted for jumping. Many species from both groups use sound, a process called stridulation, as a form of communication. They also undergo incomplete metamorphosis, where the young resemble miniature adults without wings.
Distinguishing Features: Appearance and Structure
One of the most noticeable differences between grasshoppers and crickets lies in their antennae. Crickets have long, thin, thread-like antennae that can be longer than their entire body. Grasshoppers, conversely, possess shorter, thicker, and more robust antennae. Their body shapes also differ; crickets are more robust or somewhat flattened, while grasshoppers are more slender and elongated.
Differences extend to their wing structure and how they are held. Grasshoppers hold their wings flat along their back, which blend with their green, brown, or grey coloration for camouflage. Crickets, on the other hand, hold their wings in a tent-like fashion over their bodies, and their coloring varies from black to brown or green. Another less obvious distinction involves their hearing organs, or tympanal organs; grasshoppers have them on the sides of their abdomen, while crickets have them on their front legs. Grasshoppers belong to the Caelifera suborder, while crickets are part of the Ensifera suborder.
Distinguishing Features: Sound and Behavior
The methods by which grasshoppers and crickets produce their characteristic sounds, known as stridulation, are distinct. Grasshoppers create sounds by rubbing their hind legs against their forewings. This action results in sounds that are buzzing, clicking, or rattling. Crickets, in contrast, generate their chirping sounds by rubbing their forewings together. The distinct sound patterns serve primarily to attract mates and mark territory.
Activity patterns also set them apart; grasshoppers are diurnal, meaning they are most active during the day. Crickets are nocturnal, with their familiar chirps heard throughout the night. These behavioral differences influence when and where they are most likely encountered. Grasshoppers are seen quickly jumping away in open areas, whereas crickets are more secretive, hiding in sheltered spots.
Where They Live and What They Eat
Their preferred habitats and diets offer further distinguishing characteristics. Grasshoppers inhabit open, sunny environments such as fields, meadows, and grasslands, where their coloration helps them blend with the vegetation. Crickets, conversely, prefer dark, damp, and sheltered environments, found under rocks, logs, leaf litter, or in cracks and crevices. Some cricket species are also known for burrowing into the soil.
Regarding their diets, grasshoppers are primarily herbivorous, feeding on a variety of plants, including grasses, leaves, and stems. Crickets exhibit a more omnivorous diet, consuming plants, decaying organic matter, and even smaller insects or other crickets. This dietary flexibility allows crickets to thrive in a wider range of environments, including human dwellings, where they might consume fabrics or food scraps.