Texas Trilling Cricket
Gryllus texensis
This record describes Gryllus texensis (species). Recorded family: Gryllidae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Song - UF Extension Gryllus integer, texensis , and rubens are all very similar in appearance, song, and habits, and overlap distribution, so it is difficult to identify them in areas of overlap. It seems possible (perhaps probable) that they are variants of one wide-ranging southern species.
Identification notes
Song - UF Extension
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
- Suborder
- Ensifera
- Family
- Gryllidae (True Crickets)
- Subfamily
- Gryllinae
- Genus
- Gryllus (Field Crickets)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Lawns, pastures, and roadsides and is often attracted to light in numbers. - UF Extension
Geographic Range
Map - TX-FL-TN-KS / ne. Mex. - UF Extension
Seasonal Activity
The Texas field cricket has two generations a year with late-summer and fall adults producing overwintering juveniles that become adults in spring of the following year. - UF Extension
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Gryllus texensis. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Orthoptera includes ~28,000 described species of grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids. Desert locusts can form swarms covering 460 square miles containing up to 80 million individuals per square kilometer.
Ecological role of the group
Grasshoppers and crickets are a primary food source for birds, reptiles, and small mammals. Cricket farming is a growing industry - crickets require 12× less feed than cattle to produce the same amount of protein, using 2,000× less water.
Economic and practical significance of the group
A single large locust swarm can consume the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people. The 2019-2021 East Africa locust crisis affected food security for 42 million people across multiple countries. Global crop losses from locusts can reach billions annually.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, UN World Food Programme, research publications. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Texas Trilling Cricket (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by David J. Ferguson; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , metrioptera , Tyler Hedlund
Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Trilling Cricket
What is Texas Trilling Cricket?
Texas Trilling Cricket (Gryllus texensis) is a species in the family Gryllidae, within the order Orthoptera.
How do you identify Texas Trilling Cricket?
Song - UF Extension
Where is Texas Trilling Cricket found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Lawns, pastures, and roadsides and is often attracted to light in numbers. - UF Extension |
| Range | Map - TX-FL-TN-KS / ne. Mex. - UF Extension |
When is Texas Trilling Cricket active?
Texas Trilling Cricket: seasonal activity - The Texas field cricket has two generations a year with late-summer and fall adults producing overwintering juveniles that become adults in spring of the following year. - UF Extension.