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Crickets are often seen as harmless and perhaps even friendly, with their iconic chirping and their role as a conscience guide in popular culture. But don’t be fooled. Crickets are a nuisance and can live in your home rent-free forever if you don’t address an infestation thoroughly.
They are nocturnal and are known for the chirping sounds they make at night. You might encounter three species of crickets in the area: camel crickets, house crickets, and field crickets. But no matter the species, EM Pest Control can help. We have expert exterminators for a cricket infestation.
Characteristics: light to dark brown, with a hump-back appearance.
Legs: 6
Habitat: They are usually found in woodpiles and mulch, but you will find them in the basement, crawl space, or garage if they get into your home.
Habits:
Widespread in the U.S. and lives for about two years.
More closely related to katydids than crickets and do not chirp.
When frightened, it will leap into the air as a defense mechanism to ward off predators.
If they get into your home, they will eat clothing and other fabric items like curtains.
House Crickets
Size: 3/4 to 1”
Characteristics: light yellowish-brown and have three dark crossbands on their head
Legs: 6
Habitat:
Usually lives in piles of leaves, rocks, wood, compost, and more. They can usually be found in garbage dumps and are attracted to light.
After mating, females lay about 100 eggs in damp soil or moist indoor areas and will hatch during spring months.
When the temperature drops, house crickets will make their way inside homes and sheds to seek the warmth they need.
Habits:
Chirp more frequently when the weather gets warmer.
Hear with their legs, possessing auditory organs located on lower forelegs.
Known for their loud chirping which is caused when males rub their front wings together to attract females.
House crickets don't pose any health threats to people, but they can damage items like carpet and upholstered furniture.
Field Crickets
Size: 1/2″ to 1”
Characteristics: Colored dark brown or black. Large heads and antennae that are longer than their body. Large powerful hind legs that they use for jumping and large hind wings.
Legs: 6
Habitat:
Crickets come out to feed at night, but during the day they will hide in moist soil, under mulch, woodpiles, and rocks and other debris.
The females lay between 150-400 eggs which are then deposited in firm but moist soils.
Field crickets are often attracted to electric lights.
Field crickets may enter homes in the late fall and are usually found in damp basement areas and crawl spaces.
Habits:
Both male and female field crickets are capable of making “chirping” sounds
They are known to damage crops such as wheats, oats and rye and vegetable crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, etc., as well as fabrics, wool, leather, and silk.
What Are the Signs of a Cricket Infestation
Some common signs of a cricket infestation include:
Seeing live crickets crawling around your home (mainly moist areas such as the basement, bathrooms, crawl space and under logs)
Hearing chirping noises, especially at night (even though crickets are found during the day, they are most active at night)
If you suspect that you have a cricket infestation, it’s important to act quickly. Crickets can damage fabrics, their chirping can be annoying to hear inside your home, and their presence can be a nuisance.
Keeping Crickets Out of Your Home
Keeping crickets away from your home can be a tricky and exasperating task to take on as a homeowner. EM Pest Control has you covered; we have the safest and most effective cricket control solutions to tackle your cricket problems. Give us a call today to learn about our treatment and prevention plans.
