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Eco-Wise™ House Crickets

House Crickets

House Crickets

Identifying House Cricket Problems

House cricket adults are about 3/4 - 7/8 inch long. Their color is light yellowish brown with 3 dark cross bands on their head. The antenna is threadlike, longer than the body. Their wings lay flat on the back. Adult females have a long tube like egg laying structure called a ovipositor, located at the top of the abdomen. Nymphs look like adults except smaller, lack wings and an ovipositor.

House Cricket Damage

House crickets infestations typically surface feed, leaving the surface roughened from pulling or picking the fibers loose while feeding. Their feeding sometimes results in an irregular matted network over the surface, or if the house cricket infestation is heavy, large areas of the fabric may be eaten out. Fecal pellets can be found on or about the damaged materials. The larger fecal pellets are about 1/16 - 1/8 inch long and about 1/32 inch wide, with the pellets almost or entirely lacking longitudinal ridges.

House Cricket Biology

Outdoors, house cricket overwintering eggs hatch in the late spring and adults appear in the late summer, with only 1 generation per year. When raised under ideal conditions, females lay an average of 728 eggs. The nymphs go through 7-8 instars (developmental stages), which require an average of about 56 days for males and 53 days for females.

Locating House Cricket Infestations

During warm weather, house cricket infestations typically live outdoors and especially garbage dumps. With the approach of cold weather, they seek sheltered places such as sheds and houses. House cricket problems are nocturnal or active at night and usually hide in dark warm places during the day. Their presence is indicated by the male's chirping, which is done by rubbing their front wings together. His "calling song" serves to attract females.

Outside, house cricket infestations are often attracted to electric lights in large numbers, sometimes by the thousands, and they rest on vertical surfaces, such as light poles and house walls. Outside, they feed on plants and dead or live insects, including crickets.

House cricket problems often enter homes seeking moisture. When these crickets enter homes, many kinds of clothing and even carpets can be damaged. Favorite fabrics include wool, cotton, silk and synthetics. Clothes soiled with perspiration are especially attractive to house cricket infestations. They damage large areas of fabrics as opposed to the small holes typical of clothes moths or other fabric pests.

 

How to Get Rid of House Cricket Problems

Getting rid of house crickets can be tricky since they tend to build their nests in unique places. Our green house cricket control experts will assess the house cricket problem and any house cricket damage prior to using house cricket control plan, providing you with peace of mind when it comes to these potential unwelcome house cricket infestations. And because Critter Control Eco-Wise™ Pest Services’ methods for house cricket control are environmentally friendly and organic, there is no concern for your family and pets.

Critter Control Eco-Wise™ Pest Services has the knowledge, equipment, and skills to take care of all your house cricket problems and will show you how to get rid of house crickets for good! Call today: 1-877-ECO-WISE

Eco-Wise™ Services
Eco-Wise™ Services