Cricket
If you’ve ever stepped outside on a warm summer night, odds are you’ve heard a cricket. You might have even had one in your house, which can be quite a sound to listen to all night.
Let’s dive in and learn some more about this little critter!
Critter At A Glance
What makes them special? There are SOOOOOO many different types of crickets, but male crickets are the ones we hear chirping. They have different chirp songs for different things, but the most common one is their song for female crickets. Crickets do have wings, but most don’t use them to fly. Like many insects, they have antennae to smell and sense their environment even in the dark.
How do they make sound? They do something called stridulation, where special body parts are rubbed together to make a noise. This part is called a scraper.
What do they need to survive? Crickets need warm environments, and eat mostly plants. Cricket eggs are laid in the dirt or some on plants. Baby nymphs are similar to adults but don’t have wings.
Listen in below fit you haven’t heard this story about a brave little cricket!
Are you ready for an out of this world fact?
As the temperature goes up outside, the speed of a cricket’s chirp gets faster.
Critter Protectors we need you!
Don’t go another day without joining the CritterQ!
Today’s challenge is to try a cricket chirping game. All you need is a friend or 2, some scissors, and the cards below!
Print off the playing cards below and cut them out. IF you're using a black and white printer, you’ll need to color the hot thermometers red and the cold ones blue.
Shuffle the temperature cards and the chirp cards and set them in 2 decks in the middle.
Take turns drawing a card from each deck. You must clap or stomp your chirp pattern slowly if you get a cold thermometer and fast if it's a hot thermometer. When you complete the pattern you get to keep the cards.
Each cold card is worth 1 point and a hot card is worth 2. The person with the most temperature points at the end WINS!
Did you win the game?#heymrjim
“Sonorous Science: Have a Cricket Tell You the Temperature! - Scientific American.” Scientific American, Scientific American, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-cricket-temperature/. Accessed 18 Apr. 2022.
“Cricket- Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help.” Britannica Kids, https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/cricket/353014. Accessed 18 Apr. 2022.