In many suburbs across the country, birds and bugs chirp, buzz, and click throughout the day; however, did you know that you can tell the temperature by counting a cricket’s chirps? Believe it or not, crickets make good thermometers.

According to the National Weather Service, crickets chirp faster when it is warmer and slower when it’s colder.  While a cricket’s chirps also depend on other factors such as age and hunger, they typically don’t make any noise when temperatures drop below 55 or rise above 100.




While different cricket species have their own chirps,  you can get a ballpark outdoor temperature reading by counting the chirps.  Count the number of chirps you hear for 15 seconds; when you add 40 to that number, you’ll be close to the temperature reading of where the cricket is. So if the cricket chirps 30 times within 15 seconds, it is likely around 75 degrees outside. Crickets generally chirp faster in warmer temperatures and slower in colder temperatures.