''Oecanthus niveus'', known generally as the narrow-winged tree cricket or snowy tree cricket, is a species of tree cricket in the family

Gryllidae The family ''Gryllidae'' contains the subfamilies and genera which entomologists now term true crickets. Having long, whip-like antennae, they belong to the Orthopteran suborder Ensifera, which has been greatly reduced in the last 100 years (''e ...

, which includes all crickets. First noted by Swedish Entomologist Charles de Geer in 1773 by a Pennsylvanian Specimen, it is found primarily in Eastern North America south of Canada, and also in the Caribbean.

Identification

Adult ''O. niveus'' are typically 13-16mm in length. They are a pale green with a pale orange head, and feature a dark streak running medially along the pronotum. On top of the head is an orange cap.

Habitat

''O. niveus'' can be found on broad-leaved trees, herbaceous plants, shrubbery, and in man-made orchards.

Song

Like other members of the genus ''Oecanthus'', the song of the male narrow-winged tree cricket varies in pitch and beats per minute depending the temperature, with warmer temperatures resulting in more rapid calling at a higher pitch. At 25°C, the pulse rate averages 71/sec at a frequency of 3.0 kHz. Songs are most often heard at night in late summer and autumn. Oecanthus niveus P1300794b

References

External links

* niveus Insects of the Caribbean Orthoptera of North America Insects described in 1773 Taxa named by Charles De Geer Articles created by Qbugbot {{gryllidae-stub