Oecanthidae
Guides
Neoxabea bipunctata
Two-spotted Tree Cricket
Neoxabea bipunctata, commonly known as the two-spotted tree cricket, is a North American tree cricket species in the family Oecanthidae. The species has been the subject of behavioral research focusing on post-copulatory mate guarding by males. It is widely distributed across eastern and central North America, with over 8,900 observations documented on citizen science platforms. The species was originally described by De Geer in 1773 under the basionym Gryllus bipunctatus.
Oecanthus
tree crickets, common tree crickets
Oecanthus is a genus of tree crickets comprising approximately 20 recognized species distributed across North America and other regions. These small, slender crickets are known for their distinctive acoustic communication, with males producing species-specific songs by stridulating their modified forewings. The genus includes both arboreal species found in shrubs and trees, as well as species inhabiting grassy fields and meadows.
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 californicus pictipennis
A subspecies of Western Tree Cricket found in western North America. Males produce species-specific songs by stridulating modified forewings to attract females. Like other tree crickets, males possess a metanotal gland that secretes a feeding substance consumed by females during courtship. Identification to subspecies level requires examination of antennal markings on the first two basal segments.
Oecanthus forbesi
Forbes' tree cricket
Oecanthus forbesi is a species of tree cricket in the family Oecanthidae, native to North America. The species is closely related to O. nigricornis and can be distinguished reliably only by the pulse rate of the male's song, which increases with temperature. Males produce sound through stridulation, with a measured rate of 55-56 pulses per second at approximately 15°C. The species has a yellowish head with distinctive black markings on the first two antennal segments.
Oecanthus latipennis
Broad-winged tree cricket
Oecanthus latipennis, the broad-winged tree cricket, is a species of tree cricket in the family Oecanthidae. It is found in eastern North America, with records from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and surrounding regions. Like other members of the genus Oecanthus, males produce songs by stridulation to attract females. The species is distinguished from congeners by its relatively broad forewings.
Oecanthus pini
Pine Tree Cricket
Oecanthus pini, the pine tree cricket, is a species of tree cricket in the family Oecanthidae. It is found in North America, with records from Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, and Indiana. The species is part of the genus Oecanthus, which includes several other tree cricket species such as O. argentinus, O. californicus, O. niveus, and O. quadripunctatus.
Oecanthus salvii
Sage Tree Cricket
Oecanthus salvii, described by Collins in 2020, is a recently recognized species of tree cricket in the family Oecanthidae. Known by the common name Sage Tree Cricket, this species belongs to a genus characterized by distinctive acoustic communication and specialized courtship behaviors. As a newly described taxon, detailed biological information remains limited. The species has been documented through citizen science observations, with records accumulating on platforms such as iNaturalist.
Oecanthus texensis
Texas Tree Cricket
Oecanthus texensis is a tree cricket species described in 2013 from Texas. It belongs to a genus known for distinctive courtship behaviors, including male singing and metanotal gland secretions that females feed upon during mating. Like other Oecanthus species, it is likely small, green, and cryptic in vegetation. The species was distinguished from congeners based on morphological and acoustic characteristics.
Orocharis saltator
Orocharis saltator is a cricket species in the family Oecanthidae (formerly placed in Gryllidae), described by Uhler in 1864. The genus Orocharis is currently classified within the tribe Hapithini, subfamily Podoscirtinae. This species is known from North America.
Tafalisca
Tafalisca is a genus of silent bush crickets in the family Oecanthidae, established by Walker in 1869. The genus comprises species distributed primarily in Central and South America, with one species recorded from Java. Members of this genus are characterized by their lack of stridulatory apparatus, rendering them acoustically silent. The genus is classified within the subfamily Tafaliscinae and tribe Tafaliscini.
Tafalisca eleuthera
Silent Bush Cricket
Tafalisca eleuthera is a species of cricket in the family Oecanthidae, commonly known as the Silent Bush Cricket. The species was described in 2009 from the Bahamas. It belongs to a genus of bush crickets known for reduced or absent calling songs in males.