House crickets are yellowish-brown insects with three dark brown bands stretching horizontally across their heads. They are about three-quarters to an inch long and have a pair of long antennae that are often longer than their bodies. The back legs of house crickets are larger than the other two sets, allowing them to jump long distances. They also have wings.
House crickets are not especially harmful to humans. They don’t typically bite, and if for some reason they do, they are unlikely even to break the skin. They can carry and spread diseases, but it’s rare for them to do so.
The greater problem with a house cricket infestation is the damage it can cause to your belongings. These pests will chew on clothing, carpets, and other fibers, causing surface damage by pulling fibers loose. The damage will become more extensive if a large infestation of house crickets ends up in your house.
House crickets eat a variety of foods, as well as some non-food items. They eat plants and insects, both dead and alive. When they enter your house, they’re more likely to feed on fabrics made of natural and synthetic fibers. Clothing with the scent of perspiration on them especially attracts these crickets.
House crickets chirp to attract a mate. When you hear the chirping of a house cricket, you know it’s a male cricket because female crickets don’t chirp. Male crickets rub their front wings together to make a chirping noise, hoping to attract a female cricket to mate.
House crickets often enter homes and structures when the weather starts cooling down in the fall. During this time, they start looking for a new shelter that provides the desired warmth and moisture. Because of their relatively small size, house crickets can access the interior of your house through any small opening. Cracks in your foundation, gaps around doors, or holes in window screens will all allow house crickets to get inside.
House crickets prefer warm, moist environments. When they get into your house, they’ll seek out areas that provide the environment they prefer. They’ll likely find it in garages, basements, crawl spaces, kitchens, and bathrooms. Once in these areas, they’ll look for places to hide. Common hiding places include inside storage boxes, behind appliances, and under sinks.
Trying to get rid of house crickets on your own can be frustrating. You’ve likely heard stories about people who hear crickets in their homes every night but can’t figure out where they’re hiding, no matter how hard they look. House crickets are good at hiding and challenging to eliminate. It’s best not to attempt to get rid of them on your own.
Instead of trying to remove house crickets yourself, it’s best to contact a professional pest control company for house cricket control. Anti-Pesto has over 30 years of pest control experience. We know where to look for house crickets and how to implement the best treatments to ensure the infestation is taken care of.
We highly recommend signing up for one of our home pest control plans for ongoing protection against house crickets and other house-infesting pests in the Tampa Bay region. Check out plans and pricing here!
Although we recommend partnering with our local pest control team for superior pest protection, there are things you can do to prevent house crickets. Try these preventative measures to stop a house cricket infestation before it starts:
From the first contact call the staff was very professional, courteous and informative. We discussed the issues and set a plan with an appointment within a couple days. Shane, our technician, was very prompt and courteous. Very informative during the inspection process and strategically put a deterrent plan in place. I would highly recommend Anti-Pesto Bug Killers.
Jim J.
Largo, FL
We had a wasp infestation in our backyard shed. Anti-Pesto responded immediately and were out to our place within about two hours and took care of everything thoroughly. They will even follow-up again within two weeks to be sure that the problem does not recur. They are awesome!
Daniel Z.
Largo, FL
Amazing quality work. I’ve had a few pest control companies spray and ants would still enter our home and act as roommates. Sam Hurtado is our technician and he answers everything with knowledge and always brings quality work. Even if there was recent pest work they always arrange if I have issues. Thank you!!
Trish N.
Tampa, FL
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