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While some think of crickets as pests, kids love to catch
them as fun, and the people in China and Japan consider them as a sign of good
luck and usually keep them as pets. Moreover, others also enjoy the serenity
the chirping sounds of crickets make outdoors. But this sound can be enough to
drive anyone crazy when made all night.
Crickets are yellowish-brown in color with six legs and three
dark crossbands on their head. They are usually about 16-22 mm in length with
antennae and wings. Crickets generally prefer to live outdoors during warm
weather. But when cold weather approaches, house crickets seek shelter in
houses or sheds that can provide warmth and moisture.
They are nocturnal in nature (that is, active at night) so
you'll hardly find them around during the day. In addition, they are often
attracted to bright electric lights and are especially find garbage dumps.
Crickets are known to feed on plants and dead or live insects when outdoors.
When indoors, they can feast on clothing (like cotton, silk, wool, and synthetic
fabrics) and carpets.
Although crickets do not pose any health risks to humans,
they can cause damage to property. Besides, their chirping sounds are often
annoying and disturbing at night in large numbers. You may need to call
professional exterminators if the infestation has already set
in seriously.
Signs of a Cricket Infestation
There are obvious signs with you can see when your home is being invaded by crickets; nevertheless, the following are a few signs that you might have a cricket problem.
Chirping
This is mostly how crickets announce their presence. They make loud chirping that is distressing to the ears. Not all species of cricket chirp though. And the sounds are made by male crickets in the species that chirp. This sound is made when the male rubs his front wings together and serves as a ‘calling song’ meant to attract females.
Sightings
Another extremely common sign is to see an actual cricket. Crickets are drawn to warm and moist spots within structures. So you might see crickets in between furniture, around garbage cans, under the fan’s control box, and other suitable places.
Damage
As earlier discussed, crickets can be destructive. Since they
feast on clothing and carpets, some crickets are also known to eat or chew on
woodwork; however, these bites can be minimal.
How to get rid of them
Your best line of defense against crickets is to prevent them
from entering your house. You can do this by removing bright lights, sealing
every possible entry point, and cutting down your vegetation, or you can also click here for more information.
Nevertheless, the following are ways in which you might be able to get rid of crickets:
- Catch them with cricket bait or set sticky glue traps around the areas you saw them or heard their chirping sounds.
- Use a vacuum cleaner to kill them and vacuum their eggs.
- Use bug spray (natural options are available as well)
