Tree Crickets - how to observe
listen in late summer for the long sustained trill (or maybe a metronome like chirp)
go towards the sound - when it is very loud ( or stops in response to your movement) start looking in the tops of the plants that are about a foot to two feet off the ground - if there are goldenrods, start with them
the insect is often in the open but is green and so blends in well
Have fun looking
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Common Tree Crickets (Genus Oecanthus)Observer
marykriegerDescription
once aware it was being observed, the insect hopped weakly below the leaf canopy clinging to a stem, circling to remain on the far side
Photos / Sounds
What
Forbes' Tree Cricket (Oecanthus forbesi)Observer
marykriegerDescription
on golden rod, once aware it was being observed, the insect hopped weakly below the leaf canopy clinging to a grass stem, circling to remain on the far side
insect was trilling but a plane flew over and so you have to make do with a description
a long continuous trill which stopped abruptly when the insect was approached too closely
Comments
Manitoba tree cricket observations
all https://inaturalist.ca/observations?locale=en&place_id=7590&taxon_id=63036
RG https://inaturalist.ca/observations?locale=en&place_id=7590&quality_grade=research&taxon_id=63036
other tree cricket observations
Saskatchewan https://inaturalist.ca/observations?locale=en&place_id=7953&taxon_id=63036
Alberta https://inaturalist.ca/observations?locale=en&place_id=6834&taxon_id=63036
Minnesota https://inaturalist.ca/observations?verifiable=true&taxon_id=63036&place_id=38&preferred_place_id=6712&locale=en
North Dakota https://inaturalist.ca/observations?locale=en&place_id=13&preferred_place_id=6712&taxon_id=63036&view=species
Montana https://inaturalist.ca/observations?locale=en&place_id=16&preferred_place_id=6712&taxon_id=63036&view=species
https://orthsoc.org/sina/
https://songsofinsects.com/
http://www.oecanthinae.com/
New World Thermometer crickets
https://orthsoc.org/sina/s576lwc10.pdf
partial list of candidate species
Species with| GBIF| (Bug Guide Canadian prairies distribution) {call type}
Nigricornis species group -------
Oecanthus argentinus / Prairie Tree Cricket
|AB SK ND| (AB, SK, MB) {continuous trill}
Oecanthus celerinictus / Fast-calling Tree Cricket |SK|(continuoustrill)
Oecanthus forbesi / Forbes' Tree Cricket | MN|{continuous trill}
Oecanthus nigricornis / Black-horned Tree Cricket | SK MB |{continuous trill}
Oecanthus pini / Pine Tree Cricket | MN |{continuous trill}
Oecanthus quadripunctatus / Four-spotted Tree Cricket |AB SK MN ND|{continuous trill}
Niveus species group-------
Oecanthus niveus / Narrow-winged Tree Cricket | MN |{trill in bursts }
Rileyi species group
Oecanthus fultoni / Snowy Tree Cricket | MN ND |{chirp}
Varicornis species group--------
Oecanthus californicus / Western Tree Cricket | MT |()
probably overwinter as eggs in plant stems,
goldenrod, dogwood, oak mentioned as preferred locations in some species descriptions holes may be singles, in small groups, or in a line
a picture of stem damage caused by egg laying of species not found in our area https://bugguide.net/node/view/1688531
helpful to include if possible in observations...
sound recording and sonagram image, temperature at the location of the singing male
image of the insect from the front showing the two segments of antenna that are closest to the head....
( check sample images midway down the page https://bugguide.net/node/view/7538)
general habitat notes
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