Crickets are one of those pervasive insect pests that everyone comes across in their home at some time or another. In Texas in particular, the annual cricket outbreak that happens in the late summer and fall is one of the most predictable insect pest issues people have to deal with every year. This is when the crickets found in homes become especially abundant, and the most infestations occur.
The cricket species most commonly dealt with in homes in Texas are referred to as field crickets. While crickets are most commonly found outdoors, when the new adults participate in their mating season, which lasts from throughout the late summer and fall, the season peaking in August and September, their population explodes, in addition to their presence within people’s homes. Crickets don’t enter people’s homes on purpose, only ending up inside by accident. Since crickets are nocturnal, this generally happens at night. It can be rather hard to pinpoint exactly where the entry point a cricket used to slip inside your home, but they can enter buildings through any kind of cracks or crevices found in the foundation or external walls, as well as through openings in doors and windows. This happens more often in the late summer and fall, as this is when the new adults conduct their nighttime mating flights en mass, making the likelihood of some getting lost and finding their way indoors much higher.
There are two methods of controlling the presence of crickets inside your home. The first involves preventing crickets from being able to enter your home in the first place. You basically want to find and eliminate any areas around the outside of your home where crickets might be able to gain entrance inside. Repair and caulk any cracks and crevices found around the outside of your home. Removing any debris or objects such as brush, firewood, and bricks that are close to your house and cutting weeds and tall grass you see growing close to the foundation will help eliminate any hiding spots as well as reveal other possible entry points. You also want to reduce outside lighting at night in addition to turning off unnecessary lights inside, as the light will attract crickets. Keeping the inside of your home clean and uncluttered is also important when it comes to keeping crickets out, as this eliminates places they could hide. You can also utilize certain insecticides and traps to deal with crickets in your home. There are ones designated for use outside to keep crickets from entering, most of which are designed to be sprayed around the outside of the structure in a straight line along the foundation and the ground. Sticky traps can be used to catch crickets inside your home, and should be placed wherever you are finding crickets.
Have you ever had to deal with an infestation of crickets?
