Crickets
All About Crickets
Crickets found around homes do not all behave the same way. House and field crickets belong to Gryllidae, and males can chirp by rubbing their forewings together. Camel crickets belong to Rhaphidophoridae, have no wings, and do not chirp. The sound you hear and the room where you find the insect help narrow down what is active.
What are Crickets?
The name cricket is used for several related insect groups. House crickets and field crickets are true crickets in the family Gryllidae. Camel crickets, also called cave or spider crickets, are in the family Rhaphidophoridae.
These groups have long antennae and enlarged rear legs for jumping, but their behavior differs. Male house and field crickets can chirp. Camel crickets are wingless and silent. Identification should start with body shape, wings, sound, and the place where the insect was found.
How to Identify Crickets
House crickets
House crickets are light yellowish brown and have three dark bands across the head. Adults have wings, long antennae, and large rear legs. Males chirp.
Field crickets
Field crickets are usually dark brown to black with a stout body, long antennae, and large rear legs. Adults have wings, and males chirp.
Camel crickets
Camel crickets have an arched or humpbacked body, very long antennae and rear legs, and no adult wings. They do not chirp and are often found in cool, damp, dark areas.
Similar insects: Grasshoppers generally have shorter antennae. Katydids usually have a more leaflike shape. Use several traits together rather than color alone.
Activity and Seasonality
Activity: Many crickets are active after dark. House and field crickets may enter buildings in late summer and fall, especially near doors, windows, and outdoor lights. Camel crickets favor cool, damp, dark shelter and may move toward buildings after wet weather or when outdoor conditions become hot and dry.
Indoor pattern: One cricket can be an accidental visitor and does not prove that insects are breeding inside. Repeated sightings, nightly chirping, or activity in several rooms gives you more reason to investigate the species and the conditions supporting it.
Where to Find Crickets in or Around Your House
- House and field crickets: Look near ground-level doors and windows, garages, exterior lights, and sheltered debris or vegetation close to the building.
- Camel crickets: Check basements, crawlspaces, garages, laundry areas, and other cool, damp, dark spaces. Outdoors, they shelter beneath logs, stones, leaves, and woodpiles.
How to Get Rid of Crickets
- Start with the cricket: Vacuum the insects you find and empty the vacuum outdoors. One cricket does not call for the same response as repeated activity in several rooms.
- Match the next step to the species: For camel crickets, dry damp basement or crawlspace areas. For house and field crickets, reduce unnecessary outdoor lighting near doors and windows or use less-attractive yellow lights.
- Know when to call: If crickets keep appearing, PCC can identify what is active, inspect likely access routes and supporting conditions, and treat based on what the inspection finds.
How to Prevent Crickets
- Dry damp areas: A fan or dehumidifier can make basements and crawlspaces less suitable for camel crickets.
- Close obvious gaps: Repair screens and close openings around doors, windows, and the foundation that crickets can use. This is a homeowner maintenance step, not a PCC service promise.
- Adjust outdoor lighting: Turn off unnecessary lights near entrances or use yellow lights instead of white, neon, or mercury vapor lights. This step applies to light-attracted house and field crickets, not camel crickets.
- Move outdoor shelter: Keep firewood, brush, bricks, and other debris away from the house.
- Keep indoor storage orderly: Reduce clutter in areas where crickets have been found. House and field crickets can damage fabrics, especially material soiled by food or perspiration.
- Use ongoing protection: PCC can identify likely access routes, treat based on what the inspection finds, and check for seasonal activity during scheduled quarterly service.
Conclusion
One cricket may be an accidental visitor. Repeated chirping, several sightings, or activity across multiple rooms calls for a closer look. PCC can identify what is active, inspect the conditions and likely access routes, treat based on what the inspection finds, and provide scheduled quarterly protection.