Purpose

The student will make observations of cricket behavior by checking off behaviors as they are observed. This same checklist can be used to tally the number of times a particular behavior occurred in specified time.

Handling the crickets

The observations can be made of the crickets in their aquarium. Clear plastic sweater boxes with several crickets in each can be observed by a pair or group of students. Cultures containing adults will have a wider range of behaviors than a culture of young nymphs. This activity can also be conducted throughout several days/weeks until most of the behaviors are observed. It is best to isolate the male crickets from the rest of the crickets for a day or more in order to get good observations. The females can be together in their culture.

Procedure

Place five males separately in the observation chamber while keeping them confined by using an upside down baby food jar or vial. Five females may wonder freely in the observation chamber. Set the timer for twenty minutes and lift the test tubes off the males and record what happens. It may take five minutes or so for the crickets to adjust to the observation chamber.

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Name _______________ Class _________

Watching Cricket Behavior

Procedure

Place five males separately in the observation chamber while keeping them confined by using an upside down test tube.

Place five females may wander freely in the chamber.

Set the timer for twenty minutes

Lift the small jar or vial off the males and record what happens.

Time started ______ Time ended _____

Do you see an antennae cleaning? What does a cricket do it with?

_____________________________________________________________

Do you see any leg cleaning? Describe how a cricket cleans its legs.

_____________________________________________________________

Crickets have mandibles to chew their food. Do you see any crickets eating or drinking water?

_____________________________________________________________

Many animals are territorial and defend their space with aggression. Do you see any chasing, fighting or biting by any of the crickets especially the males?

_____________________________________________________________

When male and female crickets meet sometimes there are some particular behaviors. Describe what happens when a male and female cricket meet.

_____________________________________________________________

Did you see a male cricket sing? Describe how the cricket produced it's song.

_____________________________________________________________

Did you see anything else you thought was interesting?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Name________________ Class_________

Crickets have many behaviors that can be seen if they are observed for period of time. Observe the cricket you have for five minutes and check off any behaviors that you see.

antennae cleaning ______

leg cleaning ______

eating ______

singing ______

chasing ______

fighting ______

biting ______

drinking water ______

mating ______

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