Hobbies And Interests
Incubation
After being laid, a cricket egg hatches in only 14 days. Crickets overwintering in warm places like compost heaps may lay eggs all winter long, but the first major hatch takes place in April and May. In spring, the female lays 50 to 100 eggs as deep as 1 inch below ground. Triggered by the warmth of the soil, nymphs develop and in two weeks break the capsule of the egg and dig to the surface.
Nymphs
The second cricket life stage--the immature nymph--lasts from eight to 12 weeks. Nymphs have no wings and become easy prey for birds, animals and other insects including mature crickets. During this first stage of quick growth, nymphs go through eight to 10 moltings called instars. Shedding their hard exoskeletons, the nymphs become even more vulnerable until their new chitinous skin hardens.
Maturity
At maturity, the last nymph instar yields a winged adult. Though all adult crickets begin with wings, some shed them and claim purely terrestrial lives. Metabolism shifts towards reproduction rather than growth. The remainder of an adult's life--from two to three months--focuses on eating, mating and laying eggs. A female needs to mate only once to lay clutches of fertile eggs for the remainder of her short life. Sometimes crickets mate and die shortly afterward.
Habitat
Crickets live in a variety of temperate environments, with some species finding shelter and food in open fields and others preferring damp dark places like cave mouths. House crickets survive the winter months in the dark recesses of houses and other buildings. Summer still provides their favorite environment--temperatures of 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and plenty of food. Crickets are not picky eaters, able to live on green plants, other insects and decomposing organic material. At night, houses provide plenty of forage.
Rearing Crickets
Because of their incessant chirping, crickets have often been kept as pets. Raising crickets on a small scale can be relatively easy. A gallon glass jar could house 20 crickets if the group receives adequate food and water and hiding places are available. Some territorial species fight and eat one another in cramped surroundings. House crickets survive well in crowded conditions and will even reproduce, laying eggs in clean litter at the bottom of the jar. Small scale cricket raising provides live food for reptile pets and fish bait for anglers.