22 s of calling song, male from Alachua County, Fla., 24.8°C. Dominant frequency 3.6 kHz. (WTL481-24)
This spectrogram is a 2 s excerpt of the 22 s audio file accessible above. The excerpt begins at 20 s.
22 s of calling song, male from Alachua County, Fla., 24.8°C. Dominant frequency 3.6 kHz. (WTL481-24)
Song:
Weissman and Gray (2019) described the song as a slow chirp with 2-3 chirps per second and 4 pulses per chirp (range 2-5). Pulse rate usually <15 at 25°C.
Identification:
A key to the adult males of native US Gryllus is in Weissman and Gray (2019).
G. pennsylvanicus has a similar song but avoids sandy soils and its eggs have an obligatory diapause, earning it the common name of "fall field cricket".
Habitat:
Coastal sand dunes and other sandy habitats; open, grassy fields, eastern oak woodlands, overgrown lots, and irrigated lawns.
Life cycle:
From south Florida to about Carolina Beach, North Carolina, continuous generations throughout the year with variable egg diapause. North of Carolina Beach, one generation per year with most or all eggs diapausing. In Texas, one generation per year, though late emerging individuals may be a second generation or from eggs with delayed hatching. No egg diapause.
Season:
North of Carolina Beach, adults first apper in late summer, early fall. South of Carolina Beach, year-round. In Texas, adults are first seen in June.
Name derivation:
Latin: "firmus" = "strong, stout, durable"; probably named so because when G. firmus was first described in 1902 it was the largest known Gryllus species in the US.
