Anatomy

A cricket is an insect with a hard exoskeleton. There are three section to a cricket; the head, thorax, and abdomen. Identifying males and females in mature crickets is easy. Females have a long tube called the ovipositor extending from the end of the abdomen.

Head
The head is where the eyes, antennae, mouth, palpi and brain are located.

• Antennae – These long appendages help the insect feel and smell its surroundings.
• Compound Eyes – This pair of eyes has hexagonal (six-sided) lenses and allow the cricket to see in multiple directions.
• Simple Eyes – These eyes, called ocelli, have only a single lense. There are three of them and they are used to differentiate between light and dark.
• Palpi – These appendages near the mouth aid in feeling and grasping food.

Thorax
The thorax is the second major segment of the cricket. It is where the legs and wings are attached.

• Walking Legs – There are two pairs of these legs and as their name implies they are used for walking.
• Jumping Legs – This pair of long legs allow the cricket to jump great distances.
• Fore Wings – This pair of wings protects the hind wings.
• Hind Wings – These wings are longer and more fragile than the fore wings. Male crickets will rub both pairs of wings together to create their well known chirping sound.

Abdomen
The abdomen is the largest of the three sections. It is composed of eleven segments and is where the cerci, ovipositor, and spiracles are located.

• Cerci – These sensory organs help the cricket feel its surroundings.
• Ovipositor – This appendage only appears on females and is used to lay eggs. The long organ allows the cricket to protect her eggs by burying them in the ground.
• Spiracles – These holes run along the sides of the abdomen. They allow air to enter the tracheal system which then distributes the oxygen throughout the body.