Courtship-feeding
Guides
Oecanthus californicus
Western Tree Cricket
Oecanthus californicus, the Western Tree Cricket, is a species of tree cricket in the family Oecanthidae. It is found in western North America, including the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species is one of five tree cricket species recorded in Colorado. Males produce songs by stridulating their forewings to attract females, and engage in courtship feeding involving a metanotal gland secretion. The species has been observed in habitats ranging from coniferous woodlands to grassy fields and meadows.
Oecanthus nigricornis
black-horned tree cricket, common tree cricket
Oecanthus nigricornis, commonly known as the black-horned tree cricket, is a species of tree cricket in the subfamily Oecanthinae found across North America. Males produce a distinctive courtship song using modified forewings and offer nutritional glandular secretions from a metanotal gland as nuptial gifts during mating. The species has been documented as a host for the parasitoid fly Stylogaster neglecta, with juvenile parasitism rates varying considerably across its range.
Oecanthus quadripunctatus
Four-spotted Tree Cricket
Oecanthus quadripunctatus, the four-spotted tree cricket, is a small cricket species in the subfamily Oecanthinae. It is one of five tree cricket species documented in Colorado and occurs across North America. The species is distinguished by markings on the first two antennal segments, though identification to species can be challenging due to the minute size of these diagnostic features. Males produce songs using modified forewings and possess a metanotal gland that secretes a substance consumed by females during courtship.