Common Cricket Species

• House Crickets – The most familiar in residential areas, house crickets are light yellowish-brown with three dark bands across their heads. They are about 3/4 to 7/8 inch long. These crickets are attracted to warm, moist environments, making homes an ideal habitat, especially during colder months.
• Field Crickets – Larger and darker than house crickets, field crickets are black or dark brown and are typically found outdoors. However, they can venture indoors in search of food.
• Camel Crickets – Known for their humpbacked appearance, camel crickets are light to dark brown with a rounded body. They don’t chirp like other cricket species and are often found in damp basements or crawl spaces.
• Mole Crickets – These crickets have a unique, mole-like appearance with specialized front legs for digging. They primarily live underground and are more of a concern for garden and lawn damage.

Identifying Features and Behaviors

• Chirping Sounds – One of the most distinctive features of crickets is their chirping sound, primarily produced by male house and field crickets. This chirping is a mating call and is more prevalent at night.
• Physical Appearance – Crickets generally have long antennae, robust hind legs for jumping, and wings. The size, color, and wing length can vary significantly between species.
• Habitat Preferences – While house crickets prefer warm indoor environments, field and mole crickets are more commonly found outdoors. Camel crickets are drawn to damp, dark spaces.

Specific Treatments to Control Crickets

To effectively eliminate crickets from your home, a variety of specific treatments can be employed, tailored to the type of cricket infestation. Insecticide sprays and baits are particularly effective against house and field crickets; these can be applied around the home’s perimeter, focusing on entry points such as doors, windows, and foundation cracks. For camel and mole crickets, which prefer damp environments, spraying insecticides in basements, crawl spaces, and around the home’s exterior is advisable. Additionally, for mole crickets that damage lawns and gardens, applying granular insecticides to the soil can be an effective solution.

Glue boards and sticky traps are useful for indoor cricket control, trapping crickets that have entered your living spaces. These should be strategically placed in corners, along walls, and near potential entry points. Another safe and natural option is diatomaceous earth, a powder that dehydrates crickets upon contact, which can be sprinkled in areas where crickets are prevalent.

Reducing attractants is also a key part of cricket control. This involves removing food sources by keeping the home clean and free of food debris and spills, and eliminating moisture by fixing leaky faucets and pipes, and using dehumidifiers in damp areas. Exclusion techniques such as sealing cracks and openings in the home’s structure and installing door sweeps on exterior doors are also effective in preventing crickets from entering.

In cases of severe infestations or persistent cricket problems, professional pest control services, such as those provided by Orkin, are recommended. Our experts are equipped to identify the specific cricket species infesting your home and develop a tailored treatment plan. This plan may include advanced insecticides and long-term prevention strategies, ensuring a comprehensive solution to your cricket problem. Remember, Orkin is always ready to assist with expert advice and effective solutions for all your pest control needs.

Orkin’s Expert Solutions

At Orkin, we understand the frustration of a cricket infestation. Our trained professionals use a combination of techniques tailored to your specific situation. 

• Inspection and Identification – Our experts will inspect your home, identify the cricket species, and determine the source of the infestation.
• Customized Treatment Plans – Based on the inspection, we’ll create a treatment plan that may include baits, sprays, and exclusion techniques.
• Follow-Up and Prevention – We’ll provide tips for ongoing prevention and offer follow-up treatments if necessary.

When to Call Orkin

If you’ve tried DIY methods and still face a cricket problem, it’s time to call in the experts. Orkin’s professionals are equipped to handle severe infestations effectively and safely.

At Orkin, we’re committed to providing top-notch pest control services. Our team is trained to handle a variety of pest problems, including crickets. Trust us to keep your home cricket-free.

Conclusion 

Controlling a cricket infestation in your home requires a multifaceted approach that includes identification, prevention, and targeted treatment. Understanding the specific type of cricket you are dealing with is crucial, as different species have varying behaviors and preferences. Implementing preventive measures such as sealing entry points, reducing moisture, and maintaining cleanliness can significantly reduce the likelihood of an infestation.