The biology and ecology of North American cave crickets

Cave and camel crickets are widely distributed in caves throughout the world, and in North America they make up the bulk of the biomass in many caves. Most caves do not have large populations of bats, so the guano, eggs, and carcasses of these cavernicolous crickets are dependable sources of fixed energy for troglobites (Mohr and Poulson, 1966; Barr, 1967; Barr and Kuehne, 1971; Richards, 1971; Harris, 1973). The crickets often are a true keystone species, maintaining cricket guano communities and specialized egg predators, as well as providing more dispersed energy inputs that increase overall ecosystem diversity. They are all commonly referred to as crickets, and are all in the same Order (Orthopterans) with grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids. Most cave crickets actually are grasshoppers. Cave crickets in Hawaii are true crickets (Gryllids). Because cave crickets are relatively large and abundant, they have received more study as a group than most other cavernicolous invertebrates, but there are still a lot of things we don't know about cave crickets and some continuing mysteries.