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What Are the Three Stages of a Cricket?

The cricket, that enigmatic insect featured in literature and ancient tradition for over two millenia, is a nocturnal creature known for its loud "singing," or chirping sounds. The cricket is a member of the Orthoptera order and Gryllidae family, and undergoes incomplete metamorphosis during its brief life cycle.

Stage One: Egg
- The female cricket lays her eggs in moist soil.
  
  A female cricket lays a mass of eggs in the soil over the course of a few days during the late summer and early autumn. Some species of cricket eggs lie dormant during the winter; the eggs of other species in warmer climates may hatch within 10 to 15 days, and spend their early life as a nymph.
Stage Two: Nymph
- The nymph is a young, immature version of the adult.
  
  The nymph resembles the adult cricket, but is smaller and bears no wings. Nymphs feast on tender vegetation such as grasses and weeds. Depending on climate and temperature, the nymph stage lasts between 30 and 90 days.
Stage Three: Adult
- The adult cricket is an omnivore, eating both plants and animal matter.
  
  The nymph cricket slowly develops into an adult, reaching the mature length of approximately one inch long. The female adult develops an ovipositor for laying eggs, while the male adult sports toothed wings to create a chirping sound to attract a mate. The lifespan of an adult cricket is generally two to three months.

Insects & Science