We might be more familiar with the mating habits of crickets than we thought. That soothing-to-many bedtime sound of crickets chirping is actually most often the male cricket's way of attracting females.Various Species And SongsThe Temperature, Cricket-stylesongsofinsects.comAccording to A Cricket's Lifefao.orgAccording to the Food And Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations website, menshealth.com article "You Won't Believe This Shocking New Nutrition Trend"A 2014 bugsfeed.comAccording to "How Crickets Could Help Save the Planet," a February 2017 nbcnews.com articleCricketcare.org

There are others reasons for the varying sounds crickets make, and a lot to know about these really not-so-simple summertime insects.

Did you know crickets hear via organs on their legs? Or that one species, the snowy tree cricket, can help us tell the temperature?

When there is no response, the phrase "hearing crickets" often comes to mind. But when some hear crickets, they get hungry. Yes, crickets are not only edible, but a good source of protein.

"Crickets are part of a group of insects in the order Orthoptera which include grasshoppers and katydids - our musical insects, if you will," said Laura Saucier, wildlife biologist with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. "There are a few different types of crickets in Connecticut; field crickets, mole crickets, tree crickets. Perhaps the most recognizable is the field cricket, which is a brown to black insect that is found around yards and open areas."

Different types of crickets occupy various ecological niches - those that spend time in trees, those that actively range (field crickets), and others that are more fossorial, spending time in tunnels (mole crickets), Ms Saucier explained.

"Cricket chirping is called stridulation and is caused when the male cricket rubs his forewings - elytra - together," said Ms Saucier.

"Depending on the species, crickets will sing from a perch; tree crickets in trees and shrubs, field and mole crickets from the ground. Song is important to many cricket species, therefore they have hearing organs which are located on their front legs."

Ms Saucier added that female crickets do not sing.

"There generally are three song types. A calling song is a regularly patterned, fairly loud signal that attracts females. This is the familiar chirping that we hear during summer evenings; a courtship song is used when a male attempts to mate with a female. It is a low frequency and not easily recognized by people; and an aggressive song, also called rivalry or triumph song, is a loud trill and is associated with combat with another cricket," Ms Saucier said.

Okay, being familiar with the mating habits might be a stretch, given the complexities of the cricket songs, but it is safe to say we all hear them.

The time of day, seasons, and temperature impact the frequency and pace of cricket music.

"Most species of crickets are nocturnal, therefore calls typically cease with sunrise, though they can be heard during the day later in the season as evening temperatures dip low. Crickets sing only when temperatures reach 45 to 50 degrees. Higher temperatures will often result in higher calling rates, which explains, as cooler weather sets in, their calls sounding more sluggish," Ms Saucier said.

Ms Saucier noted that it is said snowy tree crickets can be used as approximate thermometers based on their rates of calling. Take the number of trills in 13 seconds, add 40, and that equals the air temperature in Fahrenheit, she said.

, perhaps the most familiar of our tree crickets is the snowy tree cricket, and "It is referred to as snowy because individuals are often so pale that they appear white. Snowy tree crickets sing from brushy understory plants at the margins of woods or within open woods. During cold spells, they can be found close to the ground on the trunks of small trees - here they probably find a warmer micro-environment."

The snowy tree cricket's song "is a very pleasant series of evenly spaced chirps, each chirp consisting of 8 (occasionally 5) pulses at a frequency of 3 kHz. Males prefer to sing from the underside of branches or broad leaves," according to songsofinsects.com.

Crickets usually do not sing in steady rain as their singing gets lost in the sound of rain, Ms Saucier said.

"Different species of crickets have different life cycles - some mate in the spring and some in the fall. Most adults die off gradually after mating and laying eggs. In the case of later fall species, they typically die off by the first hard frost," Ms Saucier said.

Crickets are around for approximately 90 days from egg to death, but this can vary depending on species of cricket, Ms Saucier said.

Most crickets are omnivorous and eat fresh plant matter, small fruits, seeds, and live and dead invertebrates, for example, she added. Crickets may feed on crops and vegetable gardens and be considered a pest if numbers of crickets in an area are robust enough.

"They are preyed upon by insect-eating birds; small mammals including mice, shrews, and others; amphibians such as frogs, toads, and salamanders; reptiles like small snakes and turtles; as well as spiders or even other predatory insects like tiger beetles," Ms Saucier said.

And, of course, consumption by humans, too.

"Much of the world utilizes insects as a protein source. Crickets are a good example of an insect that historically was readily consumed in Mexico and is now coming back into vogue with chefs," Ms Saucier noted.

, "people throughout the world have been eating insects as a regular part of their diets for millennia."

A document on the FAO website, "Edible insects - Future prospects for food and feed security," offers plenty of information - an insect buffet of details, so to speak - about consumption of insects, including crickets.

"Insects are healthy, nutritious alternatives to mainstream staples such as chicken, pork, beef and even fish (from ocean catch)," according to the FAO site. "Many insects are rich in protein and good fats, and high in calcium, iron, and zinc."

tells us that "Ounce for ounce, crickets provide more than twice the protein of beef. Plus, that protein is the best kind, containing all nine essential amino acids. Crickets also pack nearly five times as much magnesium as beef."

, "Crickets are already mass-produced around the world. They're widely eaten in Southeast Asia, and sold elsewhere as pet food. Ground into powder or paste; roasted or deep-fried; grilled on the barbecue; it seems you can do a lot with crickets."

, covers how population growth is resulting in a need for more space for livestock. It mentions insects as a possible solution for taking up less space and resources, while providing needed protein.

shares information on raising and breeding crickets, their life cycle, and much more, including recipe options - adding that it is important to refrigerate crickets "before your meal hops away."

"Cooked crickets can be eaten plain, sprinkled on salads, and used in soups and stews. Dry roasted crickets have a nutty flavor and can replace nuts when baking cookies and cakes. They can also be ground and mixed with flour as an added source of protein. Their uses when cooking is almost limitless," according to cricketcare.org.

And crickets apparently can make for a main ingredient in dessert. Chocolate-covered insects, with crickets a popular offering, are advertised as alternatives to chips and salsa for a snack to bring to a party.

There is a lot more to the cricket than its chirp - including, for some, a crunch.