Green crickets, commonly known as tree crickets (Oecanthus), are delicate, pale-green insects that inhabit trees, shrubs, and tall herbaceous plants. They are classified as specialized omnivores, meaning their diet naturally consists of both plant matter and small animal protein sources. Their feeding habits are linked to their arboreal habitats, driving them to consume materials available on plant surfaces. Understanding their diet is necessary to appreciate their role in the ecosystem and successfully maintain them in captivity.
The Primary Natural Diet
In their natural habitats, tree crickets exhibit an opportunistic and varied diet centered on soft plant tissues and sugary secretions. The plant-based portion includes young fruits (such as apples, plums, and cherries), foliage, flowers, and tender shoots. They chew holes into stems and leaves or consume the inner pulp of ripe fruit to access carbohydrates and moisture. A significant energy source is nectar, obtained directly from flowers or plant-secreted sap, along with pollen and fungi.
Their omnivorous nature is fulfilled by actively preying on small, soft-bodied insects, such as aphids, scale insects, and mites, which they find while foraging on plant surfaces. This combination of plant sugars and insect protein allows them to maintain the energy demands of their high-perching lifestyle.
Dietary Shifts Across Life Stages
The nutritional requirements of green crickets change markedly as they transition from nymph to adult, necessitating a shift in their dietary focus. Nymphs, which are the smaller, developing stages, require a greater proportion of protein to fuel their rapid growth and multiple molting cycles. This demand often makes them more predatory, focusing on easily accessible protein sources like insect eggs and small, defenseless arthropods.
As they mature into adults, the dietary emphasis shifts toward energy-rich fluids to support the demanding activities of reproduction. Adult crickets, especially males, consume more sugary liquids, such as nectar and sap, to maintain the metabolic rate required for their sustained acoustic displays. During courtship, the male often provides a nutrient-rich secretion as a nuptial gift to the female, a specialized feeding behavior that contributes to her reproductive health.
Role in the Ecosystem
The feeding habits of green crickets place them in an ecologically ambiguous position, often categorized as beneficial or ecologically neutral rather than as pests. Their consumption of soft-bodied insects like aphids, scale insects, and codling moth eggs provides a benefit to gardens and orchards by helping to regulate populations of these plant-damaging pests. This predatory behavior is a significant component of natural pest control.
Their herbivorous tendencies mean they can occasionally inflict minor damage to plants by chewing on young leaves or fruit. Female crickets also cause localized plant injury when they insert their eggs into the stems or twigs of woody plants. This egg-laying can sometimes introduce fungal diseases or kill the tip of a branch, but the overall impact is generally not severe enough to warrant control measures.
Feeding Green Crickets in Captivity
Providing a balanced diet for green crickets in captivity requires mimicking the nutritional variety they access in the wild. A foundational captive diet should include a commercial cricket chow or grain-based mix, such as wheat germ, to provide carbohydrates and fiber. This must be supplemented with fresh produce to supply moisture, vitamins, and minerals.
Acceptable fresh foods include:
- Apples.
- Oranges.
- Carrots.
- Dark leafy greens.
Supplemental protein is necessary and can be supplied through high-protein sources like dry cat or dog food or fish flakes. This ensures the crickets are nutritionally dense, a process known as gut-loading. For hydration, crickets should not be given open water dishes, as they can easily drown. Water is best provided through commercial hydration gels, crystals, or a damp, clean sponge.