Tropical house cricket

Gryllodes sigillatus, the tropical house cricket, Indian house cricket or banded cricket, is a small cricket probably native to southwestern Asia, but has spread throughout tropical regions worldwide.^[2] Like its relative the house cricket, the tropical house cricket is also raised commercially for feeding certain pets such as reptiles, birds, amphibians, and insectivorous arthropods.^[3]

Gryllodes sigillatus
Tropical house cricket
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Orthoptera
Suborder:	Ensifera
Family:	Gryllidae
Subfamily:	Gryllinae
Tribe:	Gryllini
Genus:	Gryllodes
Species:	G. sigillatus
Binomial name
Gryllodes sigillatus (Walker, 1869) [1]

Description

The tropical house cricket is slightly smaller than its relative the house cricket, growing about 13–18 mm (0.51–0.71 in). These crickets are light yellowish tan and have two thick black bands. One of the bands runs through the bottom of the thorax while the other goes across the upper abdomen. Females are similar to males, only wingless and a long ovipositor emerging from its rear.^[3]

Close-Up of a Gryllodes sigillatus

Relationship with humans

As pet food

Decorated house crickets are relatively new to the pet trade and are favored by many people due to easier care requirements than the more-common house cricket or the black field cricket. The banded crickets are said to be a lot more active than competitors, and live longer lifespans than the average house cricket. They also have a lower chitin content than average crickets, making digestibility easier.^[3] Tropical house crickets are also immune to the CrPV virus. Care is similar to that of the house cricket.^[3]

As pests

Tropical house crickets generally cause no harm, though the singing males can be a nuisance. They can be managed with baits sold for cockroach or earwig control.^[4]