From Wikimalia
The Bug Collection
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Red-footed Cricket
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Habitat: | Temperate grasslands.
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Description: | Also known as the 'booted cricket', this insect's darkly colored body is supported by six strong legs, each adorned with a bright red 'boot'. A pair of jointed antennae jut forward from the face, just above the large eyes. Large for a cricket at almost two thums in length, they are reasonably reclusive, fleeing light sources and loud noises. Their split carapace conceals a pair of flightless wings which are occasionally spread and fluttered in a display that serves to both attract females and confuse or startle predators. The red and black wings emulate a pattern of very large owl-like eyes.
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Notes: | When stroked with a rear legs, the wings produce a unique 'scree-scree' call which is high-pitched and relatively quiet, leading to speculation that it is not entirely heard by humanoid ears.
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Redfoots are often bred in captivity by commercial fish farms for use as bait.
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