Figure

Fig. 2. Last instars v. adults. How can one tell? The specimens on the left are last instars; the ones on the right are adults. Note that on the lower pair, fully winged as adults, the forewings (tegmina) are along the midline of the nymph, and the hind wings are in the outer position. During the last instar moult, therefore, the tegmina and wings are flipped, much as they are in acridoid grasshoppers.Longevity seems to also be a feature of some crickets. Crickets from northern Australia seem to be especially long-lived. This is a casual observation and these species may just be ones with a homodynamic life cycle. The longest life cycle in crickets is ~2 years from egg through to adult. Only a few Australian species have been studied in this respect. With global climate change and the resulting changing environment, there is a need for research in cricket life cycles.