Ant Cricket vs House Cricket

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ant Cricket House Cricket
Scientific Name Myrmecophilus acervorum Acheta domesticus
Order Orthoptera Orthoptera
Family Gryllidae Gryllidae
Size 2-3 mm 16-21 mm
Habitat Woodlands Indoors
Diet Parasites Seed Feeders
Regions Europe, Western Asia Europe, Asia, North America, Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Ant Cricket

A minute, wingless cricket that lives inside ant nests as a social parasite. It is oval-shaped and moves quickly among its host ants.

💡

Did You Know?

It acquires its host ants' cuticular hydrocarbons to smell like them, allowing it to live undetected inside their colony.

House Cricket

A light brown cricket commonly found in and around human dwellings. It is widely farmed as a protein source and as feeder insects for pets.

💡

Did You Know?

House crickets are now farmed on an industrial scale and processed into flour containing over 65% protein by weight.