Family (Alpha): ACRIDIDAE GRYLLACRIDIDAE GRYLLIDAE GRYLLOTALPIDAE RHAPHIDOPHORIDAE ROMALEIDAE TETRIGIDAE TETTIGONIIDAE TRIDACTYLIDAE
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Acheta domesticus Anurogryllus arboreus Gryllus unidentified species Gryllus firmus Gryllus fultoni Gryllus pennsylvanicus Gryllus pennsylvanicus/veletis Gryllus pennsylvanicus-veletis Gryllus rubens Gryllus veletis Miogryllus verticalis Velarifictorus micado Hapithus agitator Orocharis unidentified species Orocharis luteolira Orocharis saltator Cycloptilum unidentified species Cycloptilum bidens Cycloptilum pigrum Cycloptilum slossoni Cycloptilum tardum Cycloptilum trigonipalpum Cycloptilum velox Myrmecophilus pergandei Allonemobius allardi Allonemobius fultoni Allonemobius griseus griseus Allonemobius griseus funeralis Allonemobius maculatus Allonemobius socius Allonemobius sparsalsus Allonemobius tinnulus Allonemobius walkeri Allonemobius unidentified species Eunemobius carolinus Eunemobius confusus Eunemobius melodius Eunemobius unidentified species Neonemobius cubensis Neonemobius palustris Neonemobius variegatus Pictonemobius ambitiosus complex Pictonemobius ambitiosus Pictonemobius hubbelli Oecanthus unidentified species Oecanthus celerinictus Oecanthus exclamationis Oecanthus fultoni Oecanthus latipennis Oecanthus nigricornis Oecanthus niveus Oecanthus pini Oecanthus quadripunctatus Neoxabea bipunctata Phyllopalpus pulchellus Anaxipha delicatula Anaxipha exigua Anaxipha litarena Anaxipha rosamacula Anaxipha thomasi Anaxipha tinnula Anaxipha tinnulacita Anaxipha tinnulenta Anaxipha vernalis Anaxipha unidentified species Cyrtoxipha columbiana Falcicula hebardi Gryllidae unidentified species NC Records
Gryllus fultoni (Alexander, 1957) - Southern Wood Cricket
Taxonomy
Family: Gryllidae
Subfamily: GryllinaeTribe: GrylliniSynonym: Acheta fultoni Comments: One of eighteen species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Weissman and Gray, 2019), five of which have been recorded in North Carolina.Species Status: Recognized as a distinct form of Gryllus assimilis -- the Wood Cricket -- by Fulton (1952), who also recognized three other, reproductively isolated forms differing in habitats, morphologies, phenologies, and songs. All four were ultimately described as separate species by Alexander (1957).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Capinera et al. (2006; not illustrated) Online Photographs: SINA; Songs of Insects, Google Images ,
iNaturalist , GBIF Technical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Alexander (1957)SINA 484a.htm Comments: Tegmina always brown; hind femora reddish or pale and the hind tibiae are also pale (Alexander, 1957). Lacks the red spots that are usually present on the sides of the pronotum in G. rubens, the other species most likely to be found in our area as adults in the spring and early summer.Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 15.8 mm, male; 16.5, female (Holotype and Allotype, Alexander, 1957)Structural Features: The pronotum is widest at the rear edge and the head of the male is definitely narrower than the pronotum (Alexander, 1957). Only short-winged forms have been observed, with the hindwings incapable of flight (Alexander, 1957; Weisman and Gray, 2019). Cerci are yellow and the tips of tegmina of the females are typically separated (Weisman and Gray).Singing Behavior: Male song consists of a series of chirps, i.e., short series of downslured pulses. In fultoni, chirps are shorter than in our other chirping species -- firmus, pennsylvanicus, and veletis -- consisting typically or two to three pulses, usually less than four, and the number of chirps per second much higher, ranging from 5-7 per second (Alexander, 1957). The dominant frequency is around 4.5 kHz at 76.1 degrees F, which is similar to that of pennsylvanica but higher than in firmus (SINA, 2017).Recording playback at normal speed.
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Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Adult Dates: Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Occurs primarily in woodlands (Fulton, 1951; Alexander, 1957), but can also be heard singing in the edges of fields adjoining forests, at sites where G. rubens is singing close by (S. Hall, pers. obs.) Diet: Probably omnivorousObservation Methods: Most easily found by song, which males produce both day and nightAbundance/Frequency: Usually heard singing in moderate densitiesAdult Phenology: Males start singing in early April and persist until early July. Only veletis of our chirping species has a similar phenology; the others sing in the fall.
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: Natural Heritage Program Ranks: [G5] S5State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public landsComments: Appears to be widespread in the Piedmont and associated with common types of habitat; appears to be secure within the state
Image Gallery for Gryllus fultoni - Southern Wood Cricket Recorded by: Steve Hall and Dee Stuckey Recorded by: Steve Hall, David George, Jeff Niznik Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Recorded by: Mark Basinger Recorded by: Steve Hall Recorded by: Steve Hall, Dee Stuckey, and Savannah Hall Recorded by: Jim Petranka Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan Recorded by: Steve Hall Recorded by: Steve Hall, Savannah Hall, Cordell Buckingham Recorded by: Steve Hall
MP3 Gallery for Gryllus fultoni - Southern Wood Cricket 1
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka
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