Wisconsin Oecanthinancy

Southeastern Wisconsin

Totally obsessed with Tree Crickets :D


An accidentally grown sunflower on my small 3d story patio was the chosen singing spot for a male Neoxabea bipunctata in the fall of 2006. I was smitten with not only his singing; but also the fact that he had made 5 separate holes of the same size, shape and location on each of 5 leaves...which he used as a baffle to amplify the sound of his song by putting his opened wings over the hole. Amazing.

In the summer of 2008, I raised approximately 50 tree crickets in 'Oecanthinariums' in order to gain some expertise in identification of species as well as to document their behaviors. Wisconsin is apparently a great state for Oecanthinae...as I have found Black-horned, Snowy, Two-spotted, Four-spotted, Narrow-winged, Pine, and Davis' --- all within a one-block area from my front door.

I only study Oecanthinae...and will begin adding information to the guide pages for all species. My mission is to bring Tree Crickets to the forefront of the insect world -- since the sounds of late summer/early autumn would not be the same without them!

(I'm still searching for Prairie, Broad-winged and Tamarack Tree Crickets).

I'm still working on my website: http://www.oecanthinae.com/

My mission is to increase awareness of, and thus popularity of, tree crickets. I have written a children's book entitled

Trixie the Tree Cricket

-- it can be purchased or downloaded at
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/trixie-the-tree-cricket/5272897

Nancy Collins