Body Parts
A cricket’s body is composed of three sections: abdomen, thorax and head. At sexual maturity adult crickets have a 2-3cm body (0.79-1.18 in). The female has two cercus and an ovipositor at the end of her abdomen (Refer to diagram).
Breathing: Insects have little holes on the side of the body called spiracles to let air into the body.
Sexing
The central ovipositor is used to deposit eggs into a suitable medium. In females they are found at the rear of the cricket in between the two “V” shaped cerci. Males do not have an ovipositor and only possess the two cerci. As shown in adjacent photo the female cricket is on the left side and the male on the right. Note that the overlapping long wing covers of an adult male can deceptively look like an ovipositor. The male on the right hand side is an older animal starting to lose condition, evident by the darker wings and leaner body.
