Seeking Northern Limits: Broad-winged Tree Cricket

October 1, 2013 at 5:43 am (singing insects)
Tags: broad-winged tree cricket, Carl Hansen Woods, Oecanthus latipennis, Penny Road Pond

by Carl Strang

The broad-winged tree cricket was the first singing insect that surprised me by turning up north of its established range. That was back in 2006, and finding it abundant in DuPage County, half a state north of where it previously had been known to occur, was my first indication that there were significant gaps in knowledge that needed filling.

Broad-winged tree cricket

Since then, I have determined that this cricket becomes somewhat less abundant as one moves south to north in DuPage, but there are places where choruses of many individuals can be heard in the northern third of the county.

In addition to the wide wings, this species has raspberry-colored basal segments in its antennae.

Dorsal view of the same. I released this fellow after taking the photos.

This year I put some time into seeking broad-winged tree crickets to the north of DuPage County. I found them in two locations in northern Cook County: the Carl Hansen Woods Forest Preserve, where there are a few pockets of up to 20 singing males but much suitable habitat that remains empty; and, a little farther north, 3 singing males at Penny Road Pond, another Cook County Forest Preserve site. I sought them without success farther north.

The current known distribution of broad-winged tree crickets in the region.

I believe they still are spreading, and in fact a few years ago found them in southwestern Wisconsin at the junction of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. Documenting their spread will remain another item on my annual research checklist of goals.