Wood Cricket

Nemobius sylvestris

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Infraorder: Gryllidea
Family: Gryllidae
Subfamily: Nemobiinae
Genus: Nemobius
Species: sylvestris

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Nemobius sylvestris: /nɛˈmoʊbiəs sɪlˈvɛstrɪs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Boskrekel vrouw by Frank Stavenuiter. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Nemobius sylvestris 1 8 by Franziska Walz. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Nemobius sylvestris - 1 by DenesFeri. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Nemobius sylvestris - Grillon des Bois 2 by
Hélène Rival. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Nemobius-sylvestris by Jakob Jilg. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Nemobius sylvestris female (5030747539) by Gilles San Martin from Namur, Belgium. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license.

Summary

Nemobius sylvestris, or the wood cricket, is a flightless cricket native to Europe and North Africa, characterized by its small size, dark coloration, and distinctive morphology. It thrives in deciduous woodlands and exhibits a unique two-year life cycle.

Physical Characteristics

Small, dark brown, ground-dwelling insect with long, thread-like antennae. Grows to about 1 cm (0.4 in). Males have fore-wings extending halfway along the abdomen while females have reduced fore-wings that are rounded stubs and a long ovipositor.

Identification Tips

Look for the black head with a pale Y-shaped marking, and the absence of hind wings. The distinctive long ovipositor in females can also aid identification.

Habitat

Deciduous woodlands, forest edges, and woodland clearings, thriving in leaf litter among oak, beech, hazel, and holly trees.

Distribution

Common and widespread in Europe and northern Africa. Introduced in the vicinities of Rochester, NY, and Seattle, WA. Uncommon in Britain with populations in New Forest, Isle of Wight, and southern Devon.

Diet

Feeds on decaying leaf litter and may consume fungus growing among the litter.

Life Cycle

Exhibits a two-year life cycle; nymphs hatch in spring, reach the 5th-6th instar by the end of summer, overwinter, and mature the following summer.

Reproduction

Eggs are laid in the leaf litter during summer and autumn. Overwinter as eggs or nymphs.

Ecosystem Role

As detritivores, they play a role in decomposing leaf litter and may influence fungi in their habitat.

Evolution

Part of the family Trigonidiidae, which are known for their flightless and ground-dwelling characteristics.

Misconceptions

Commonly thought to be similar to other more familiar cricket species, yet they are distinguishable by their body shape and wing structure.