It is not well known how precise a cricket's hearing is, but you can imagine that it's good enough to hear the song of a potential mate. A cricket's life begins as one of about 300 eggs a female lays in the soil during late summer and fall. Some species overwinter successfully as nymphs or adults. Others overwinter as eggs and hatch in the Spring. A year-old cricket is a rarity.
Crickets feed on just about anything.
They are particularly fond of wool and silk. Instead of getting a head start, they just stand still and take a big leap. This might seem like it would be hard to you, but to them, it is easy. They weigh much less than we do and their legs are built differently. Generally, crickets are about an inch long, with strong back legs and long antennae.