Field cricket (Gryllus campestris)

The field cricket (Gryllus campestris) is one of the most recognizable insects of our sunny and dry meadows, creating a characteristic soundscape of the warmer months with its tireless chirping. It is recognized by its stocky, shiny black body and large head with powerful mandibles. Although crickets are quite shy and quickly retreat into their burrows at ground vibrations, a careful observer often encounters them along paths while they bask in the sun.
The photograph shows a female, evident from the long ovipositor at the end of the abdomen, which she uses to lay eggs deep in the soil. Males are the ones that produce the characteristic sound by rubbing their front wings, with which they attract mates and mark their territory around the burrow entrance. Their burrows are deep and provide safe shelter in the ground from predators and adverse weather conditions.
In the mountain world, they are found mainly on south-facing and uncultivated slopes where the soil is warm enough for their development. The field cricket feeds mainly on plant food, occasionally supplementing its diet with smaller insects. The preservation of this species relies primarily on extensively managed meadows where their natural habitat remains intact.