What Do Crickets Eat

One of the insects that we get the most in our daily life along with flies, ants and cockroaches. Crickets are a species of bugs belonging to an order called Orthopnea; this means that they have markedly straight wings. Despite constantly listening to this insect, very few of us know the lifestyle that this animal has and even less what it feeds on.

The characteristic sound of the crickets can be heard several meters around them, being generated by the rubbing of their hind legs, which allows the courted female to know which cricket is the largest. At night is when they have more signs of activities, such as courtship and feeding.

These insects tend to be clumsier than their fellow grasshoppers due to the shortness of their legs, although they are often easily confused and compared. Despite this they can move quickly if necessary. As for their home, it is valid that we mention that they like to dig in the ground; with this they make a burrow that they will use to protect themselves from their natural predators such as reptiles and birds.

The burrow of any cricket will be part of its territory, which it will defend very aggressively by engaging in combat with others of the same species. It is for this reason that it is very common to find this type of insect with missing parts such as its legs or worse still with its wings completely torn to pieces.

Despite being only an insect, crickets have been constantly related to different myths and fables associated with good luck and the morning dew. In addition to this, they are also related to other folk tales and stories that have made the fame of this animal continue to grow rapidly.

Something quite particular about this animal is that it not only feeds on different foods, which we will talk about later, but in many parts of the world it is consumed for its high protein content and its “characteristic” flavor for some foreigners and locals.  Being the cricket one of the most consumed insects internationally.

What do you need

• Crickets
• Waste
• Floors
• Fruits
• Carrion
• Insects

Instructions

1. They are omnivorous. Crickets are clearly omnivorous animals, this means that they can feed on almost anything, as long as it is within reach of their efficient jaw. Having this type of diet makes them animals capable of surviving in any situation and that is why they are so common in urban environments.
   They can feed on different types of plants as well as different animals, especially those smaller than them. Although when they are exposed to other types of non-natural environments, their diet can vary significantly depending on the food they are exposed to and can get more easily.
2. They eat plants. Precisely because they are omnivorous, it means that part of their diet is based on plant resources. Among the delicacies that crickets enjoy the most are the so-called leaf litters, which are piles of leaves that have dried over time and that usually cover the ground where they have easy access.
   A vegetable dish that crickets like to devour is the different types of grasses that grow and vary depending on the habitat in which they are found. Another food that fascinates them, although they are not as common as the previous ones, is the fresh seeds that fall from the trees very easily.
   Other types of plants that are not often mentioned, but are also consumed, are fungi .that is found in nature. Crickets are animals that can distinguish between those plants that can cause them some damage and others that help them sustain their food. As you can see, this insect is not very demanding when it comes to plants. What the cricket will always ensure is that food is easy to get and this includes all the types they consume, not just plants and vegetables.
3. They eat other insects. Their carnivorous side is made known especially because they are fanatical about other insects, especially the smaller ones, who cannot defend themselves against their imposing figure. These insects may be alive but they may also have gotten them dead and taken advantage of their corresponding ration. Crickets enjoy flies and cockroaches the In addition to this, arachnids are also part of their diet, with spiders being part of their diet, especially when they are in small gardens where it is very easy to find them.
4. They are also scavengers. Crickets are indisputably scavengers, that is, they feed on dead meat, also called carrion. This can be seen from what we told you what they feed on other insects. It should also be noted that if they have the opportunity or are exposed to meat, whether raw or cooked, they will seek to feed.
   Another aspect that characterizes them as scavengers is the fact that it is not necessary for the meat to be in good condition to be used, being able to eat animals that have been decomposing for several hours. These are not their most special meals, but if they are forced they will not be left without sustenance.
5. In the urban environment they feed on waste. Being animals that eat everything and are exposed to different types of habitat, they can also feed on any waste. With this we refer not only to meat but also to pieces of bread, rice or other foods that are left at their mercy, on the floor of any urban location. For this reason, we can listen to the different species of cricket, depending on where you are, near garbage dumps or places where people deposit their waste. For them, these areas mean being able to get food in an easier, faster way and without representing so many dangers.
6. They become cannibals. Crickets, if affected by lack of food, can eat each other. Their omnivorous nature allows them to eat other crickets that are more unprotected or that have previously died. This in search of its conservation. They can also eat crickets that are sick or injured because it is the survival of the fittest, a basic law of nature. Being so aggressive and territorial and also being affected by the lack of food, they will try to explore any type of possibility, even eating each other.
7. Cricket in captivity. Feeding a cricket that you have as a pet is not a complicated task.  They are actually quite easy animals to care for, if you want to start having responsibilities in this regard. They are insects that can feed on vegetables as we have already mentioned before. You can also offer your captive cricket cereal, different types of fruit (avoiding citrus), and bread. Some owners choose to provide vitamins through specialized prepared foods for fish, cats or dogs, but of course in a smaller amount.
8. They eat what they get. As we have mentioned to you through all these steps, crickets are extremely easy to feed both in their natural state and in captivity. They eat as much as they can get, depending on their needs, so you don’t have to worry about their diet to a great extent.

Tips

• If you plan to have cricket pups in your home, remember that before feeding them with leaves or vegetables, they should be washed as carefully as possible, in order to eliminate insecticide residues that may remain on some plants for human consumption.
• Another recommendation that we can make is that you avoid giving your crickets foods such as lemon since they do not usually digest it very well. Onions and eggplants are also not to their liking so avoid feeding these types of foods to your pets.
• Crickets can be found anywhere on the planet, except in the coldest areas. And like other animals they have an impact on the environment where it can be highlighted in a positive way that they help renew the minerals of the earth through their plant-based diet and are also part of the fundamental diet of other animal species.
• Likewise, care must be taken with these insects since they can damage large hectares of plantations and can be very destructive to nature, if very large quantities are found. In addition, your ears will also be affected since the song of these insects can be quite loud for some people.
• With its brown colors, large legs and unparalleled song, the cricket is an animal that must be studied since we have it constantly close to us. A species that is an important part of nature, like all of us who make it up. An insect that does not seem as horrible as others and reminds us that we can find them all over the world, in different forms and very particular species.