Family (Alpha): ACRIDIDAE GRYLLACRIDIDAE GRYLLIDAE GRYLLOTALPIDAE RHAPHIDOPHORIDAE ROMALEIDAE TETRIGIDAE TETTIGONIIDAE TRIDACTYLIDAE
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Acheta domesticus Anurogryllus arboreus Gryllus unidentified species Gryllus firmus Gryllus fultoni Gryllus pennsylvanicus Gryllus pennsylvanicus/veletis Gryllus pennsylvanicus-veletis Gryllus rubens Gryllus veletis Miogryllus verticalis Velarifictorus micado Hapithus agitator Orocharis unidentified species Orocharis luteolira Orocharis saltator Cycloptilum unidentified species Cycloptilum bidens Cycloptilum pigrum Cycloptilum slossoni Cycloptilum tardum Cycloptilum trigonipalpum Cycloptilum velox Myrmecophilus pergandei Allonemobius allardi Allonemobius fultoni Allonemobius griseus griseus Allonemobius griseus funeralis Allonemobius maculatus Allonemobius socius Allonemobius sparsalsus Allonemobius tinnulus Allonemobius walkeri Allonemobius unidentified species Eunemobius carolinus Eunemobius confusus Eunemobius melodius Eunemobius unidentified species Neonemobius cubensis Neonemobius palustris Neonemobius variegatus Pictonemobius ambitiosus complex Pictonemobius ambitiosus Pictonemobius hubbelli Oecanthus unidentified species Oecanthus celerinictus Oecanthus exclamationis Oecanthus fultoni Oecanthus latipennis Oecanthus nigricornis Oecanthus niveus Oecanthus pini Oecanthus quadripunctatus Neoxabea bipunctata Phyllopalpus pulchellus Anaxipha delicatula Anaxipha exigua Anaxipha litarena Anaxipha rosamacula Anaxipha thomasi Anaxipha tinnula Anaxipha tinnulacita Anaxipha tinnulenta Anaxipha vernalis Anaxipha unidentified species Cyrtoxipha columbiana Falcicula hebardi Gryllidae unidentified species NC Records
Gryllus firmus Scudder, 1902 - Sand Field Cricket
Taxonomy
Family: Gryllidae
Subfamily: GryllinaeTribe: GrylliniSynonym: Acheta firma, Gryllus assimilis firmus Comments: One of eighteen species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Weissman and Gray, 2019), five of which have been recorded in North Carolina.Species Status: Specimens from North Carolina were mentioned by Scudder (1902) in his description of this species, but it is not clear whether they represented the type specimens. Alexander (1957) identified the specimens from Pungo Bluff as lectotypes and OSF recognized North Carolina specimens as syntypes.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Capinera et al. (2004; not illustrated); Himmelman (2009) Online Photographs: SINA; BugGuide , Google Images ,
iNaturalist , GBIF Technical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Scudder (1902); Alexander (1957)SINA 481a.htm Comments: This is the largest member of this genus in our area. Adults have shining black heads, thorax, and abdomen; wings are usually contrastingly yellow-brown (Scudder, 1902; Himmelman, 2009).Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 27 mm, males; 26 mm, females (Scudder, 1902)Structural Features: Pronotum is widest towards the anterior and the head of the male is typically wider than the pronotum (Alexander, 1957); the body length is usually over 18 mm, whereas it is usually shorter in all other North Carolina species of Gryllus.Singing Behavior: Songs consist of the classic Gryllus series of chirps, with each chirp composed of 4-6 pulses and the chirps given at a rate of 1-3 per second at 85 degrees F (Alexander, 1957). The chirp rate is the slowest of the species that occur in North Carolina, including pennsylvanicus, which may or may not overlap with firmus in the eastern Piedmont. The dominant frequency is around 3.6 kHz at 77 degrees F (=24.8 C) (SINA, 2017).Recording playback at normal speed.
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Nymphal Stages and Development: Nymphs overwinter (Fulton, 1952)
Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Adult Dates: Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Strongly associated with sandy soils. Fulton (1952) described the habitat of his "beach cricket" as sandy, treeless areas along the coast. Alexander (1968) described an inland population associated with sandhills at Spout Springs and Hall and Corey recorded a population at Singletary Lake associated with a xeric Carolina bay rim, dominated by Longleaf Pines and xerophytic oaks. Diet: Probably omnivorousObservation Methods: Mostly easily detected by its song, which is given both day and nightAbundance/Frequency: Can be common but with singing males somewhat spread apartAdult Phenology: A few adults appear to emerge in June but become most numerous in late summer and fall, persisting until the end of November (Fulton, 1952). Fulton also reported hearing a single male singing on May 13th.
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: Natural Heritage Program Ranks: [GNR S4S5]State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public landsComments: This species is at least somewhat restricted in terms of habitats but the degree to which it requires natural sand ridges is unknown. One population has been reported to be extirpated due to conversion of its habitat to a pine plantation (Alexander, 1968), so it may be at least somewhat vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation. More information is needed on its presence in sandy old fields or other agricultural lands before its conservation status in North Carolina can be accurately determined.
Image Gallery for Gryllus firmus - Sand Field Cricket Recorded by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka Recorded by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan Recorded by: R. Newman Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Recorded by: Stephen Hall Recorded by: Stephen Hall Recorded by: Stephen Hall Recorded by: Steve Hall Recorded by: Steve Hall Recorded by: Newman, Randy
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