It’s the middle of the night and you’re awakened by a soft “chirp”. No, it’s not the low battery signal on the smoke detector, it’s a cricket! “Chirp!”… “Chirp!”… “CHIRP!” it seemingly becomes louder and sleep becomes impossible. The next thought that comes to your mind is how do I get rid of crickets?

The two most common crickets in Southern Arizona are the house cricket and the field cricket. Although neither cricket typically poses a threat to people, pets, or structures, they are a nuisance and are also common prey for other more dangerous insects like scorpions and spiders.

Description

Adult house crickets are typically 3/4” – 7/8” in length with yellowish brown coloring. They also have long antennae that is often longer than their bodies. Field crickets tend to measure 1/2” – 1 1/4” in length and have dark brown to black coloring. Both are known for their loud chirping which is made by the males rubbing their front wings together to attract females.

Habitat

Crickets are nocturnal and prefer damp well protected spaces during the day so outdoors they’re commonly found in flower beds, under potted plants, and in irrigation boxes. Inside crickets are typically seen in bathrooms and the kitchen under sinks and cabinets but can be found in other locations as they search for these areas. As with all insects, a habitat must have accessible food sources. This can be just about anywhere for crickets because they eat a variety of foods including plants, other insects, and indoors they’ll even consume fabric like clothing and carpet.

Control

The best way to get rid of crickets inside your house is to eliminate areas of moisture in and around your home. Attend to water leaks promptly and reduce irrigation directly against the foundation of your home. Also, make sure that windows and doorways are properly sealed. Crickets are attracted to light, so using less-attractive yellow bulbs for exterior lighting can help. A regular pest control program is highly effective for cricket control especially for immediate control of an existing problem and protection again future issues.

If crickets are keeping you up at night, call the licensed technicians at Bill’s Home Service. Our expert team understands crickets and will eliminate your cricket problem so you can rest peacefully once again.