NPIPM:Orthoptera
Authors: Ashley Mueller, Buyung Hadi
Identification
House crickets are commonly found inside houses and buildings. House crickets are yellowish-brown in color with three black lines near the head. Fully grown, they are about 1 inch long. Other crickets commonly found indoors are the field cricket, mole cricket, and camel cricket.
Crickets are identified by their large back legs used for jumping and their long antennae. They are most noted for their ability to chirp, and males chirp by rubbing their wings together. However, not all crickets are able to chirp. Crickets are primarily active at night.
Habitat
The natural habitat for crickets is outdoors. House crickets are very common around garbage dumps and bins. They feed on plant material and weakened or dead insects. House crickets are strongly attracted to light.
As their name suggests, field crickets are found in fields; they are also commonly found along roadsides and yards, where they feed on plants. They also feed on weakened or dead insects, including other crickets. Like the house cricket, they are attracted to light.
Camel crickets, also called cave crickets, are typically found in damp, dark areas like under logs and stones. Indoors, camel crickets search for similar conditions, so they are often found in basements, cellars, and other dark areas. Unlike field house and field crickets, they are not attracted to light.
Life Cycle and Seasonal History
Male crickets chirp to attract females and to mark territory. Cricket breeding occurs in late spring through fall. Females deposit eggs in moist media, such as soil or sand. In approximately three weeks, the eggs hatch. Nymphs look like adults, only they are smaller in size and do not have wings. Depending on the temperature, nymphs develop into adults in about three months. Adults can survive cool conditions for an extended period of time; eggs are dormant in the winter, and they hatch with increasing temperatures in the spring.
Human Interaction and Urban Impact
Crickets are mostly a nuisance, and they are not medically important pests. In most cases, a cricket invasion indoors occurs when their outdoor food sources decrease, typically in the fall. Indoors, crickets are attracted to human and pet food, food waste in trash bins, and indoor plants.
In some cases, crickets can be considered a minor pest due to their ability to damage fabrics if large numbers of them go undetected indoors.
Prevention and Management Approaches
Exclusion of crickets in the fall is crucial to preventing an infestation. Seal cracks and gaps in the building’s foundation, doors, and windows. Cutting tall grass and weeds near the foundation will prevent crickets from getting too close to the building. On porches and patios, reduce the use of light or use yellow light, which will be less attractive for some cricket species.
Treating the foundation perimeters in the early fall with insecticides labeled for perimeter treatment should help exclude crickets from a building. Insecticidal dusts labeled for crickets may be used in wall voids or crawlspaces. Always use precaution and follow the label carefully before using any insecticide. Insecticides have a certain amount of toxicity to mammals; children and pets are especially at risk.
Other Online Resources
For information regarding labels of chemical control options, please visit NPIC MAPL
