Body size, lifespan, behaviour and body temperature in relation to environmental variables in wild field crickets (Gryllus campestris) in a meadow in Northern Spain, May and June, 2017

We provide data on how the body temperature of field crickets Gryllus campestris rises and falls in relation to exposure to the sun and environmental factors include ground and air temperature, diffuse and shortwave radiation, and wind speed. Crickets were in a meadow in N. Spain from May to June 2017.
Individual crickets were retained in a controlled area using a line attached to a copper ring glued to their thorax. Crickets were maintained in captivity and randomly selected every day to run the temperature increase trials. Trials were carried out in an area with mown grass. Before entering the trial, each individual was cooled to a temperature of 13ºC. During the cooling process, ambient temperature, humidity and reflected apparent temperature were measured using a thermal imagining camera (FLIR T4). Once the cricket reached the base temperature, it was released in the arena and its temperature measured at 1 minute intervals with the same camera, for a minimum of 20 minutes.
These data were acquired to assess behavioural thermoregulation in crickets in the wild and were collected by researchers at the University of Exeter.