For many people, the sound of a cricket chirping in the night is a reassuring sign of summer. It’s a sign that warm weather is finally here and the long winter is finally over. But for some people, the sound of a cricket chirping is a sign of something else: a pest that needs to be dealt with immediately.
The warmth and moisture of summertime are the perfect breeding grounds for house crickets. These small, dark-colored insects are about 1/2 inch long and love to hide in dark, damp places.
Similar to other pests, the best cricket pest control method is prevention. This means making your home a less attractive place for crickets to stay and multiply.
House Crickets and Should You Be Concerned About Them?
Acheta Domestica, commonly called house crickets, are yellowish to brown insects that are about 3/4 to 5/8 inches in length and have long antennae and six legs, enabling these insects to jump quite high. As their name suggests, they typically live indoors near sources of heat and moisture.
One common concern about house crickets is that they might bite humans. In fact, house crickets don’t bite people. They might nibble on clothing made of natural fibers, but they are not known to cause any harm to humans.
The real concern with house crickets is the damage they can do to your home. House crickets love to eat fabric and paper products. This includes clothing, upholstery, drapes, wallpaper, and even carpets.
So if you have a lot of house crickets in your home, they can do a significant amount of damage in a short period.
How Do You Know if You Have Crickets at Home?
Crickets’ diets in their natural habitat outdoors consist of dead insects, leaves, and even other crickets. At home, their diet is a little different. They will nibble on anything made of natural fibers, including clothing, drapes, and carpeting.
You’ll easily know that you have crickets at home when you hear the chirping noise. These noises are made by male crickets to attract female crickets for mating. They flap their wings rapidly to make these chirping noises.
Hearing the chirping noise is usually the first sign that you have crickets at home. Their “calling” song can be quite loud, especially if there are a lot of crickets in your home. As nocturnal creatures, you’ll often hear these songs in the middle of the night.
Aside from the loud noise they produce, their diet and eating habits inside your home serve as another telltale sign that you have crickets.
The damage they do to your clothing is extensive. You’ll often find holes in your clothing, as well as a piece of fabric that has been nibbled on. In general, cricket bites are often 1mm wide in clothing. They love to feast on clothing fabric, both natural and synthetic, with perspiration stains.
Different Pest Control Crickets Methods
As a common household pest, they are also one of the most annoying, thanks to their incessant chirping. Here are different cricket pest control methods you can try.
Prevention
As with any other infestation, the best way to deal with this is to prevent crickets from inhabiting your home. As easy as it may sound, it is actually quite difficult to achieve.
Crickets are attracted to two things: moisture and food. To prevent them from coming into your home, you need to remove these attractions. This means that your home shouldn’t be damp, and there should be no food sources that these insects can access.
Check their entry points, such as windows, doors, and cracks in the foundation. These are the most common entry points for insects.
In your lawn, ensure that you don’t have different weeds in your lawn and plant beds, and ensure that woodpiles are always away from your home’s structure. These piles of wood are usually the places where crickets and other insects hide during the day.
If you have a pet, make sure that their food and water dishes are always clean and dry. Insects are attracted to anything that has moisture, and this includes your pet’s food and water.
Reach for the Vacuum Cleaner
If you suspect crickets are nesting in an area in your home, take out your vacuum cleaner and go over the area. Check under the furniture and in other tight spaces. A vacuum cleaner is an effective tool in getting rid of these insects, as well as their eggs.
Inspect your vacuum bag – if you don’t see any adult crickets, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re all gone. Their eggs could still be in there, so it’s best to empty out those bags or throw them immediately once you’re done vacuuming.
Use Diatomaceous Earth and Boric Acid
Diatomaceous earth is a natural substance that can be used to kill crickets and other insects. DE is basically one of the most basic yet effective pest control killers there is. It’s a cheap solution for those who don’t want to resort to using insecticides and pesticides.
To use DE, simply sprinkle it in the areas where these insects are most likely to nest or crawl. It’s a bit of a hassle, and some people may find it messy, but this is something that a little bit of vacuum can’t fix.
Boric acid is another natural substance that can be used to kill crickets. It may come in pellet, powder, or tablet form, and it’s quite effective in getting rid of these insects.
Using boric acid is similar to how you’d use diatomaceous earth. Place it somewhere out of children’s reach but in an area where you suspect crickets are hiding. This can be under the cupboards, carpets, or even in your drawers.
Use Sticky Traps
Most likely, you won’t see them during the day as they’re nocturnal creatures. This is where sticky traps come in handy. These are traps that use a sticky substance to catch insects. They come in different colors, but yellow is usually the most effective in catching crickets.
Find out where they’re usually hiding, then place them in areas where they’re most likely to crawl. These can be in the corners of your room, under the furniture, or even on top of your cupboards.
Alter Lighting
Although it’s true that crickets are nocturnal creatures and stay in dark places, they are attracted to bright lights, particularly yellow ones. You may want to consider switching to motion-activated lights or using white bulbs instead.
Should You Consider Hiring Crickets Pest Control Service?
The methods mentioned above are pretty simple, and unlike other pests, crickets aren’t that difficult to get rid of. As long as you have taken proper preventative measures, keep moisture away from your home and regularly vacuum or seal entry points, getting rid of them won’t be much of a problem.
However, if the problem persists and crickets’ chirping noises are driving you crazy, it may be time to consider hiring a professional cricket pest control service.
Aside from the DIY homemade solutions mentioned above, they’ll be able to properly locate, plan out, and execute the best cricket control strategy for your home.
Final Thoughts
The majority of pest problems can be easily addressed and resolved with a little bit of elbow grease and proper knowledge. Crickets are no different.
Ensure you don’t have entry points, and if you’ve immediately taken care of an infestation, there’s no need to worry about them coming back.
