Crickets vs. Grasshoppers
Key Differences
Comparison Chart
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Order
Number of Species
Habitat
Size
Hindlegs
Size of Antennae
Feeding Habits
Activity
Color
Stridulation
Sound Hearing Organs
Pests
Ovipositors
Crickets and Grasshoppers Definitions
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Grasshoppers
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Grasshoppers
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Grasshoppers
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Grasshoppers
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Crickets
Crickets vs. Grasshoppers
The crickets are the insects that belong to the suborder Caeliferans. On the other side, the grasshoppers are part of the suborder Ensifera. Crickets have less number of species, i.e., about 900. On the flip side, there are about 11000 species of grasshoppers. The crickets are located in a wide variety of habitat. On the other hand, the grasshoppers are found in grasses.
While discussing the size, crickets are small in size, i.e., up to 2 inches in length with very large antennas reaching up to the length of the main body. On the other side, grasshoppers are large in size, i.e., up to 4 inches but have small antennas. The crickets are predatory and omnivorous in nature, i.e., they eat vegetables and small insects, etc. On the other hand, grasshoppers are herbivorous in nature, i.e., they eat grasses.
The crickets are nocturnal, i.e., they come out at night. So, they have brown, pale green, or dark colors that help them in camouflaging at night. On the flip side, grasshoppers are diurnal, i.e., they come out in day time. So, they show bright green, light brown, or grey color that helps them to camouflage in their surrounding environment.
The cricket produces the sound or stridulates by rubbing its wings together. On the other side, the grasshopper stridulates or produces sound by rubbing its hind legs with wings. The organs to hear sound in crickets is present on the front legs. On the flip side, in grasshopper, the sound sensing organs are present at the base of the abdomen.
Crickets are not known as a pest. On the other side, grasshoppers are known as a pest. They harm different types of crops and vegetables, for example, carrots, beans, lettuce, sweet corn, and onions, etc. The crickets have short ovipositors. On the other side, the grasshopper possesses long and extended ovipositor.
What are Crickets?
The crickets are the insects that belong to the suborder Caeliferans. They are located in a wide variety of habitat almost everywhere in this world. There are more than 900 species of it. Crickets are small in size, i.e., up to 2 inches in length with large size hindlegs adapted for jumping. It has very large antennas reaching up to the length of the main body. Moreover, they have four wings such that the two forewings are stiff and leathery; on the other side, the two hindwings are membranous. The hindwings of crickets play their role in flight.
Crickets have brown, pale green, or dark colors as they are nocturnal, i.e., active at night, so their color helps them to camouflage. The crickets are predatory and omnivorous in nature, i.e., they eat vegetables and small insects, etc. So, they live in trees, in bushes, or on the ground, etc. to feed on aphids and ants, etc.
Another important feature of crickets is their song. They rub a scraper present on one forewing against a set of teeth present on the other wing to produce the sound. They can also change the pitch of the sound by changing the speed of the movement of their scraper. Some of them produce sound to attract mates, while others use it to warn others from danger. These sounds are mostly produced by male crickets, while both males and females are sensitive to hearing. The organs to hear the sound are present on the front legs of the crickets.
The total number of chirps of crickets also varies according to the change in temperature. They chirp at a high rate with an increase in temperature. Moreover, a snowy tree cricket is a so much sense to change in temperature that it is known as the “thermometer cricket.” One can easily find out the exact temperature in Fahrenheit by calculating the total number of chirps in 15 seconds and then adding 40 to in it.
Crickets have short ovipositors. During reproduction, they lay eggs on leaves or in soil. They insert their eggs into soil or plant material by using ovipositors. They are not a pest but produce noise at night. They have also used as food in different areas of the world.
What are Grasshoppers?
Grasshoppers are the insects that belong to the suborder Ensifera. The grasshoppers are found in grasses. They have a large number of species, i.e., about 11000. The grasshoppers are large in size, i.e., up to 4 inches in length. They have small antennas and large size hind legs adapted for jumping.
Grasshoppers have bright green, light brown or grey color with red or yellow markings. They are diurnal, i.e., energetic in the day time. They are found in grasses, so their color helps them to camouflage according to their surrounding environment. Grasshoppers produce sound by rubbing their hind legs with wings. Their sound is just like a buzz. They have sound sensing organs present at the base of the abdomen.
Grasshoppers have a high rate of reproduction. They mostly lay their eggs on the ground. They become pests with an increase in their population. Different areas of worlds have different problems from the different species of grasshoppers. Some of its species focus on single or two types of plants or vegetables etc. Mostly, they attack carrots, beans, lettuce, sweet corn, and onions, etc. With a high population rate, they can destroy almost anything.
The attack of grasshoppers can be avoided by using natural repellents, introducing beneficial insects that feed on grasshoppers, for example, beetles and lizards, etc., by removing bright lights that attract insects, cutting down of grass regularly and by the use of dust plants with all-purpose flour that act as a barrier for grasshopper attack.
