Cricket course: Hands-on training in Ensifera identification, ecology, behavior, and bioacoustics

The inaugural CRICKET COURSE 2023, held from July 3-7 at the Archbold Biological Station (ABS) in Florida, offered a comprehensive training platform on the identification, ecology, behavior, and bioacoustics of Ensifera, the orthopteran suborder that includes crickets and katydids. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation grant, this unique workshop was conducted by experts Hojun Song, Brandon Woo, Fernando Montealegre-Z, Charlie Woodrow, and Nathan Bailey. It hosted 16 participants from the U.S., Taiwan, and New Zealand, including graduate students, an undergraduate, a postdoc, amateurs, and professionals. The course covered various topics each day, starting with taxonomy, phylogeny, and identification of Ensifera on the first day. Students engaged in hands-on practice using microscopes and identification keys. The second day focused on bioacoustics, including lectures on sound production and hearing in Ensifera, and practical sessions on using ultrasonic microphones and sound analysis software. Day three involved learning about the ecology and natural history of Ensifera, conducting behavioral experiments, and a field trip to Highlands Hammock State Park. The fourth day included interdisciplinary research brainstorming, presentations on orthopteran research in Taiwan, and methods for rearing crickets and katydids. The final day featured a morning hike, a guest lecture on cricket-based foods, analysis of experimental data, and a closing social event. Overall, the CRICKET COURSE 2023 was highly successful, enriching participants’ knowledge and skills in Ensifera studies. The ABS provided an ideal setting, with abundant crickets and katydids facilitating practical learning. Plans to offer the course biennially are in place.