Author: Michelle Kulas

Grasshoppers and crickets are similar insects, but they’re two different species. It can be difficult to tell them apart, but we’ve got the details you need if you want to become more of an expert on the differences between crickets vs grasshoppers.

Here are some of the features we’ll talk about:

• Getting to know how they’re related
• Spotting the differences in their physical appearances
• Understanding where crickets and grasshoppers each prefer to live
• Learning about how they communicate
• Discovering what they each eat

Sit back, relax, and let’s get to know these interesting insects!

Discovering These Chirping Cousins

Grasshoppers and crickets both belong to the order Orthoptera, which also includes locusts and katydids. From there, the order splits; grasshoppers belong to the suborder Caelifera, while crickets belong to the suborder Ensifera. This means that they’re sort of cousins in the insect world, but they aren’t quite as close as their appearances might lead you to believe.

Some key differences include their sizes, colors, eating habits, how they create their music, where they prefer to live, and what they eat.

Using a Keen Eye to Detect Differences

The most obvious differences will be the ones you can see. Crickets and grasshoppers have similar bodies, including long, folded hind legs that help them jump. Their differences are more prominent than their similarities, though.

First, grasshoppers are larger than crickets, generally speaking. While there is some overlap between the largest crickets and the smallest grasshoppers, the latter are usually longer.

Their color is also different: grasshoppers are usually a shade of green, while crickets tend to be brown, gray, or black. Again, there’s some overlap here; some grasshoppers can be more brownish, and there is at least one species of cricket (the great green bush cricket) that is green. If you’re in the United States, though, the grasshoppers tend to be green and the crickets tend to be darker shades of brown and black.

If you’re still not sure what you’re seeing, take a look at the insect’s antennae. If they’re long, maybe even as long as the insect’s body, it’s probably a cricket, and if they’re short, it’s probably a grasshopper.

Grasshoppers always have wings, and crickets sometimes do. If the critter you’re questioning has no wings, it must be a cricket. If it does have wings, it could be either.

Finding Out Where Crickets and Grasshoppers Are Likely to Live

One thing to keep in mind is that grasshoppers are more active during the day, while crickets are more active at night. If you’re out on a sunny day and you see a green or greenish-brown long-legged insect that could be either a cricket or a grasshopper, it’s likely a grasshopper. On the other hand, if your mystery musician is out serenading the nighttime air, it’s likely a cricket.

Crickets prefer darker, shaded areas where they can hide. They’re also attracted to lights, so you might see them jumping out of damp, dark areas onto the sidewalk where your outside lights are shining after dark.

Grasshoppers, on the other hand, like open fields, where they can eat their fill of grass and also blend in with the grass. They can live in deserts, grasslands, and tropical areas without much trouble.

While it’s possible for either to make their way into your house, if you have an infestation starting, crickets are more likely to blame. A grasshopper won’t find the open spaces and grass they need and want to survive in your home, but a cricket will find plenty of dark hiding spaces.

Deciphering Their Stridulation Styles

Stridulation is the way crickets and grasshoppers create their melodies; it means that they rub together body parts to product buzzing or chirping sounds.

Grasshoppers make sounds by rubbing their long hind legs against their wings. The resulting sounds are clicks and chirps designed to help t hem find a mate and also to protect themselves and their territory. They tend to make most of their sounds during the day.

Crickets, however, rub their front wings together. Only the males can make these sounds, which are a high-pitched chirp; they do it to attract females and also to warn predators to stay away. Most of a cricket’s music will be made at night.

Getting to Know What’s on Their Menus

Another striking difference between crickets and grasshoppers is what they prefer to eat. Grasshoppers are herbivores and only eat plant matter. They find plenty of it in grassy fields, backyards, the woods, and anywhere else they can find plants, including grass. If grasshoppers get into the house, they will generally either leave or die, since they won’t be very successful in finding the food they need in most cases. They are, however, capable of inflicting damage to a garden or a field of crops.

Crickets are omnivores and will scavenge and eat opportunistically. This means they can make perfectly fine meals out of crumbs on your floor, other insects, or plants. If they get into your house, they’ll often be able to scrounge up what they need to eat and stay alive, so they might stay a while. If they’re outdoors, though, crickets are beneficial because they contribute to cleaning up organic matter, making the world a little less dirty.

The next time you see a long-legged jumping insect or you hear chirping outside, take a few moments to listen. You might be able to identify which critter it’s more likely to be based on where it’s living, what color it is, how large it is, and maybe even what it’s eating.

People are more aware today than ever before how our actions impact the planet. When it comes to dealing with pests in the home, many prefer eco-friendly solutions when possible. Not only is this better for the greater environment but it’s also often better for the people and pets living in the house, since harsh chemicals can sometimes cause respiratory symptoms in sensitive people (and pets).

Some ways you might be able to manage a cricket infestation naturally include:

• Changing the environment
• Using natural remedies to deter crickets
• Using natural remedies to exterminate crickets
• Maintaining good insect-control practices

Read on to learn more about how you can defeat crickets naturally.

Understand Why Crickets Are Infesting Your Home

Crickets are responsible for the summer evening concerts you hear when you walk outside after dark during the warmer months. Unfortunately, they can sometimes get into your house and cause an infestation.

They’ll often enter your home simply out of opportunity. Maybe you left a door or window open at night when you had lights on. The crickets might have been drawn in by the light and found your home cozy and safe. They’ll also often hop in when you open a door to go in or out in the evening. If you have outdoor lighting, they’re already hanging around, then when you open the door, they invite themselves in.

Having foliage or other hiding spots around your doors or windows provides them with a place to hide. If they jump into the house and find similarly welcoming plants, they might feel right at home.

Once crickets have made themselves comfortable, they’ll eat whatever is available. This might be crumbs left on the floor, smaller insects who also live in your house, plants, and various other material. They’ll find moisture in your sinks or maybe around appliances like the refrigerator or washing machine.

Why You Might Want to Choose Natural or Eco-friendly Options

Once you find crickets in your house (and it won’t take long, since their music will be a good clue), your first instinct might be to call your local exterminator. While this is always an option, there are reasons to consider natural solutions first.

Remember that chemicals affect more than just the insects you’re trying to eliminate. In some cases, particularly if you or someone in your home has asthma or allergies, they can cause respiratory issues in humans. Some chemicals can be harmful to pets, especially birds.

Chemical pesticides can also create environmental pollution or kill off other organisms. And they can cause resistance; just as bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics, insects can sometimes become resistant to popular pesticides. The good news is that there are various natural remedies you can try.

Making Your Home Less Attractive to Crickets

Crickets go into your home based on the opportunity to enter, and they stay because it’s comfortable in there. They’re finding the shelter, food, and water they need to stay alive and even to reproduce.

By cleaning up the surroundings and making it harder for crickets to find what they need, they can either die off or just leave on their own accord. You might want to fix any water sources, such as cleaning out the drain pan under your refrigerator and making sure no pipes are leaking. You can also dry out sinks and showers before going to bed at night.

Remove clutter and sweep and vacuum frequently to remove food sources. If you have an infestation of smaller insects, like ants or bed bugs, do what you need to do to rid your home of those critters, as they may be a source of food for the crickets.

Natural Deterrents to Try

There are some substances that crickets find naturally unappealing. By using these in your home, that might dissuade them from getting to comfortable.

One is garlic. You can make a garlicky spray by soaking garlic in water and spray that around your house. Of course, a strong garlic smell can also be a human repellent, and garlic is toxic to pets, so only do this if you really like the smell of garlic and if you don’t have pets who can get into it.

Citrus peels, like those from oranges, lemons, and limes, are another deterrent. These typically smell better to humans, too. You can create citrus oil, use essential oils, or just leave some citrus peels around where you’re finding crickets.

Peppermint oil is another good repellent. Mix a few drops of peppermint oil with water and spray it around where you’ve seen crickets as well as near entry points like windows and doors. You might also try lavender oil or eucalyptus oil, as these have similar effects on crickets and other insects.

Other substances you might want to try using to repel crickets are cinnamon, vinegar, and cedar chips.

Ways to Exterminate Crickets Naturally

If repelling crickets isn’t working, it might be time to try some natural extermination methods. There are three that can cause harm to crickets but won’t generally harm people or pets.

The first is diatomaceous earth. This is a powder that can get through insect exoskeletons and cause severe dehydration, resulting in death to the crickets. Diatomaceous earth is safe to use around pets, but don’t use it where they’ll eat it or inhale it, as it can cause respiratory issues. (It can also cause similar issues in humans, so don’t inhale it or leave it where young children might ingest it.)

The second is neem oil. This is both a deterrent and an extermination measure. Dilute it in oil and spray it around. It can disrupt the growth of crickets, stopping an infestation in its tracks. Neem oil is safe for use around pets.

Finally, Borax is a good method for drying out and also repelling crickets. You can find this in the laundry aisle of your local grocery or discount store. Note that ingesting Borax can cause stomach irritation in humans in pets, so don’t leave it around where children or animals might ingest it.

How to Keep Crickets From Coming Back

Once you get your cricket infestation under control, there are a few things you can do to prevent them from returning.

• Clean up foliage and plants that are close to the doors and windows to remove hiding spots that allow easy access to your home.
• Use yellow outside lights rather than white ones, as these tend to not be as attractive to crickets and many other insects.
• Try planting marigolds or chrysanthemums near your home’s entry points. These are repellent to crickets and some other insects.
• Consider using cinnamon, vinegar, or any of the repellents listed above around your door frames and windows on the outside of your house to repel them away from the entry points.

Dealing with a cricket infestation isn’t always easy, but do keep in mind that crickets are relatively harmless, even if their songs are annoying for you to hear within your own home. By cleaning well and trying some of the natural repellents and pesticides, you should have your infestation under control fairly quickly. Remember that you can always call in a professional exterminator for chemical pesticide help if the infestation is severe or if your DIY methods aren’t working.

Crickets: Their most prominent feature is their chirping, which you’ve undoubtedly heard on warm summer evenings. These tiny creatures also have other intriguing parts of their biology that you might not know about. Some of the secrets you might want to learn about include:

• How and why crickets make those chirping sounds
• Why cricket anatomy is unique
• The cricket life cycle and reproduction habits
• How circadian rhythms work with crickets

Let’s get started and get to to know about these little musicians of the night.

The Hows and Whys of the Cricket Orchestra

Have you wondered how crickets produce those enchanting sounds? It’s all about stridulation: This is when male crickets rub their wings together to create the signature sounds that help attract female crickets. It also serves as communication.

While you might not be able to discern between them, crickets actually have a whole repertoire of chirps, and they all have different messages. They use their songs to woo potential partners and to tell rival crickets and other insects to stay back. Different species even have slightly different tones and cadences. The result to our human ears is a nighttime chorus, but they can differentiate between the different frequencies, durations, and pitches.

What’s Going on Beneath a Cricket Exoskeleton

A cricket often looks like a gray, brown, or black grasshopper. They have narrow heads, a long body, long, folded legs, and prominent eyes and mouths.

The entire body is encased in an exoskeleton, which is molted, or shed, when the cricket grows. Baby crickets will molt six to eight times as they grow into their adult bodies, and this process takes two or three months. You probably won’t find their skins, however, because a lot of this happens underground.

A cricket’s legs are strong, and they allow them to jump, walk, and grasp. If a predator grabs a cricket by a leg, it can release it and continue living without one of the appendages.

Their wings allow them to fly and also to create their music. Baby crickets, called nymphs, don’t have working wings; they are the privilege of making it to cricket-adulthood.

A cricket’s mouth is also unique. The insects are scavengers, so they’ll eat whatever they can find, from fruit, seeds, and fungi to smaller insects and their larvae. Their mouths reflect this versatility; they have strong jaws, an upper lip called a labrum, and segments that help guide different types of food into the mouth. This allows them to clean up their environment based on whatever plant or animal matter is available.

The Cricket Life Cycle Metamorphosis

Crickets start off as eggs, which are laid in a nest chosen by the female crickets. These are hidden; they might be buried in the dirt or tucked away in a small area or crevice. The eggs hatch into nymphs, which look like tiny crickets without wings. Over the next weeks and months, they’ll grow rapidly, shedding their exoskeletons as they grow.

After the final molt, the adult cricket emerges, complete with wings. This is when the males start making their telltale music, and when the females are capable of laying fertilized eggs of their own.

The Unusual Habits of Cricket Reproduction

Crickets are master courters; the males use a variety of musical performances and motions to captivate a female. Some species have elaborate dances to catch the attention of the females.

Once a male and female mate and the eggs are deposited in a safe nest, male crickets continue to play a fatherly role. They’ll often guard the eggs and will even use their chirps to warn potential rivals and predators to stay away from their offspring.

While most crickets are solitary outside of mating and protecting nymphs, a few species have a more communal lifestyle. They’ll live in groups and will use their body movements and chirps to communicate about food sources and shelter.

How Crickets Keep Time With Their Circadian Rhythms

You may have noticed that crickets play their songs in harmony. How do they do that? It all comes down to their excellent timekeeping skills, which are related to their circadian rhythms.

These insects are most active at night and they rest during the day. This synchronization helps them avoid predators and helps them find food and mates. This is common in the natural world with various species of not only insects but also reptiles and some mammals.

Crickets respond to the light-dark cycle, and they also respond to the different phases of the moon. Males often adjust the frequency of their chirps based on the moons. This might have to do with their specialized photoreceptor cells, which detect even minute changes in light levels.

Final Thoughts on Cricket Biology

You might not have given crickets much thought. After all, you hear them at night when you’re outside, and you hope not to see them in your home. They’re quite complex creatures, however, and worth thinking about when you hear their melodious sounds.

Crickets: You might see them as a nuisance or as a source of lovely nighttime ambiance, but there’s more: Crickets just might be an answer to the increasing need for an inexpensive protein source. While insects have been part of the human diet for centuries in various cultures, edible crickets produced by cricket farming is becoming popular now.

Here are a few of the considerations to keep in mind:

• The nutrition of crickets
• The environmental impact
• How crickets might tackle food insecurity
• Ethical considerations
• Food allergy precautions
• Other edible insects

Let’s read more about how cricket consumption might become a source of sustainable nutrition.

Nutritional Powerhouse: Exploring the Health Benefits of Edible Crickets

If you’re looking for protein, crickets do pack a punch. In addition, they’re rich in fiber, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals. They’re low in cholesterol and contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential for heart health.

So, what does this mean? While most Americans rely on sources like fish, poultry, beef, and pork to fulfill their animal-based protein needs, crickets can also fill that need. The question is whether you would relish eating a pile of crickets as much as you’d enjoy a nice steak or a serving of flaky fish. Many people might say no, but there are more reasons to consider the benefits of edible crickets.

Environmental Impact: How Cricket Farming Reduces the Food Footprint

It takes a lot of energy to maintain livestock. They need land, water, and feed, and all of that can contribute to deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, excess waste, and even water scarcity. From an environmental standpoint, farming crickets takes far fewer resources.

When it comes to housing crickets, they’ll generally stay in enclosures with ventilation, temperature control, and space for them to move around and breed. They can eat grains, vegetables, fruits, bran, oatmeal, and cornmeal. They produce fewer methane gases than traditional livestock.

All of that considered, cricket farming has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of protein production.

Tackling Food Insecurity: Cricket Consumption in Developing Regions

While we might not struggle much with a lack of food resources in most of North America, that’s not necessarily the case for other parts of the world. Crickets, offer a source of nutrition that’s both affordable and accessible.

Crickets can be raised even in parts of the world where livestock typically doesn’t do well due to climate, a lack of water, a lack of food, or space for farming. These insects have the potential ability to help fight against hunger and poverty in developing regions.

Ethical Considerations: Welfare and Treatment of Crickets

Of course, just because crickets are small and not warm-blooded like cows, pigs, and chickens, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be treated ethically. Ethical cricket farming practices include providing adequate living conditions, feeding them properly, allowing them to breed, and minimizing stress.

Nobody really knows how cognizant and conscious insects are, but it’s necessary to use caution and use farming techniques that respect their lives and potential pain and suffering.

Addressing Food Allergies: Safety Precautions

Just as people can be allergic to shellfish, pork, eggs and other animal products, it’s likely that some people will be allergic to crickets. There should be clear labeling on all products so any food containing crickets is apparent.

Also, safety precautions when harvesting and preparing crickets need to be observed every bit as much as they’re observed for other animal protein sources. There may be a temperature they need to be cooked to to avoid foodborne illnesses, for example.

Insects Beyond Crickets: Exploring Diverse Edible Insects

While it might be a tough sell to convince people to eat crickets when there are other meat sources readily available, once edible crickets gain acceptance, it’s likely that other insects will also become accepted protein sources.

Grasshoppers are similar to crickets and have similar nutritional profiles. Termites are eaten in parts of Africa and are rich in protein, iron, and calcium. Ants, bees, and beetles all also have potential when it comes to edible insects.

Whether you feel up for the challenge of eating crickets or not, it’s good to be aware that they’re a potential source of protein that just might make a difference when it comes to topics like global hunger and climate change. Keeping an open mind can help you to be adventurous and to consider trying new things, such as edible crickets.

When it comes to critters infesting our homes, there are those that really make you shudder and try everything possible to get rid of them, and there are others that might be annoying but really don’t cause any harm. Cockroaches are an example of the former, and crickets are an example of the latter. In this article, we’ll talk about:

• How to identify each of these insects
• What persuades each of them to move into your home
• The various damages and issues they can each cause in your household
• How to best banish them from your abode

Keep reading to learn more about crickets vs. cockroaches.

Chirps vs Scurries: Identifying Your Home Invaders

If you see a bug, you might assume the worst if you aren’t sure what type it is. The good news is that when it comes to crickets and cockroaches, it’s generally pretty simple to tell them apart.

Crickets are best known for their chirping, which is produced when they rub their wings together. They often do this at night. If you are hearing chirping in the evening, chances are great that you have at least one male cricket in your midst. Of course, having male crickets (the ones who make the chirping sounds) likely means that you also have female crickets.

Crickets look like brown or black grasshoppers. They have long, folded hind legs that they use to jump with, and prominent eyes on either side of their heads.

Cockroaches, on the other hand, don’t make noise (other than occasionally a scuttling sound as they run on your surfaces). They’re masters of stealth, and it can be hard to see them during the day unless you have a severe infestation. If you see a fast-moving reddish-brown insect running for cover when you turn on a light at night, that might indicate the presence of cockroaches.

Physically, cockroaches look like an elongated, flat beetle. Some varieties have wings, but most do not fly. If you live in a Southern state, you might have large cockroaches that do fly; these are often colloquially called “palmetto bugs.”

Crickets and Cockroaches: What Lures Each Indoors?

You’ve heard the advice about not leaving food crumbs around, lest they attract insects. There’s great truth to this wisdom, but in the case of crickets, it probably won’t make much of a difference. These nocturnal creatures are usually more attracted to lights and a water source. While they will certainly avail themselves of any food left around, that isn’t usually what lures them in to begin with.

Cockroaches, on the other hand, are on the prowl for food and water. They’ll come in and will enjoy the feast if you have crumbs, dirty dishes, or a spilled beverage you haven’t cleaned up. They’ll make themselves at home behind the refrigerator, under the stove, or in any clutter that’s sitting around by day, and by night, they’ll come out to search for a buffet.

Cricket Chaos or Cockroach Calamity: Unraveling the Risks

Some insects are more harmful than others. On that scale, crickets are at the bottom. They are a nuisance, but they don’t carry diseases and don’t cause widespread damage. They might nibble on fabric or paper, though. They don’t bite or scratch. The biggest problem crickets are likely to cause is insomnia; if you can’t sleep due to the chirping, that could cause various issues.

Cockroaches, on the other hand, tend to carry pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli. They can also trigger allergies or even asthma due to their droppings and shed skin. Cockroaches can infest your food and cause issues that way, too. They will rarely bite, and their bites can cause irritation. Being bitten isn’t much of a concern, though, in most cases.

Bite or Flight: Banishing the Infestation

When dealing with either a cricket or a cockroach infestation, you’ll need to take some actions to defend your home and rid yourself of the pests.

When dealing with crickets, try the following:

• Seal cracks and any gaps around doors where they might come in.
• Repair any damaged screens.
• Remove exterior lighting or switch to yellow bulbs, which are less attractive to crickets. This will prevent them from congregating near your door and jumping in when you open it.
• Clean up food and water, particularly before going to bed at night.
• Consider natural repellents, such as cedar chips or diluted peppermint oil.

When it comes to cockroaches, you may need to be more aggressive:

• Eliminate food debris and keep everything as clean as possible.
• Fix any sources of dripping water, like leaking pipes
• Store food in airtight containers to prevent them from getting into it.
• Caulk gaps in walls and cabinets to prevent them from both entering and hiding.
• Use bait or traps designed for controlling cockroaches.
• Consult with a professional pest control company if the infestation is large or uncontrolled.

Final Thoughts: Staying Pest-Free

In the battle of crickets vs. cockroaches, both are vulnerable to prevention as the most effective strategy. Keeping your home clean, sealing potential entry points, and addressing any water leaks will reduce the chances of an infestation of either of these critters.

If you do find yourself facing an infestation, using strategies honed for the particular type of insect you’re dealing with is important. You can’t really eliminate them both in the same way, so it’s vital to know whether you’re dealing with a cockroach or a cricket.

Arming yourself with knowledge will be your biggest weapon against these creepy crawlers and will help ensure a pest-free and comfortable home for you and your family.

Chirp, chirp! You know the sounds that crickets make. While it might not bother you when you hear their music outdoors on a warm evening, it’s less enchanting when the sound is coming from inside your own home. Here are some of the things that attract crickets into your house:

• Nooks, crannies, and cozy corners
• Delicious crumbs and morsels
• Artificial lighting that can lure them in
• Communication from other crickets

Read on to learn more about crickets and how to discourage them from entering your home sweet home.

The House Hunt: Why Crickets Are Moving In With You

Crickets feel secure when they’re hiding, like most insects. Your house provides protection from predators and the elements. Think about it: If you were an inch-long cricket, would you rather be outside where frogs, birds, and large raindrops could cut your life short?

Once a cricket finds its way into your home, there are plenty of hiding spaces to take advantage of. There are dark hallways, corners, maybe some empty Amazon.com shipping boxes. There’s also plenty to eat in the kitchen, and several sources of water (they only need a drop at a time, so any moisture left in the sink is enough to quench their thirst). What’s not to love about human houses?

Cricket Cuisine: What Draws Them Into Your Kitchen

Aside from water, which is readily available in the bathroom and kitchen sinks, in the refrigerator’s drip pan, and maybe in your central air system in the summer, a cricket’s most essential need is food. They’re opportunistic hunters, and they aren’t picky.

Any crumbs left on the counter or the floor, an unnoticed drop of orange juice that spilled when you were pouring, or a lid left askew on the garbage can are all fair game and delectable to crickets. If they want a five-star buffet, they will be able to find one in the average kitchen, particularly in the evening after dinner, when everything (other than a few crumbs or drips) has been cleaned up.

Lights On, Crickets In: The Illumination Connection

While crickets like to hide in the dark, they’re attracted to artificial lights. Do you have a light outside your front or back door? If so, every time you open the door after dark, you’re at risk for a cricket or two hopping into the house. They’re hanging out under the light, and they’ll take the opportunity to check out what you’ve got going on inside.

Once indoors, the glow of lights in various rooms can draw them in more deeply, where they explore the rest of the house.

Sounding the Alarm: All About Cricket Communication

You’ve undoubtedly heard cricket communication: That’s the chirping sound made when they rub their wings together. The males do this in order to attract a female mate.

If the males in your house successfully woo the female crickets into your home, they could end up mating, they could cause an infestation.

While this is annoying in terms of the noise crickets make and also unpleasant if you just don’t like the idea of having insects in your home, you don’t have to worry that they’ll become destructive, bite, or make anyone in the household ill.

Another Way for Crickets to Enter: As Lizard Feed

There is another way crickets can infest a home: If you have a pet lizard or another pet that eats crickets, the insects can escape your enclosure and cause the same issues as wild crickets. So, if you are the owner of a lizard, frog, or similar pet, do be aware that their live food can indeed infest your home.

Quick Tips for Preventing a Cricket Invasion

The good news here is that crickets are one of the most harmless insects that could infest your home. The bad news is that it’s not terribly difficult for them to make themselves cozy and decide to stay for a while. Prevention is easier than resolving the noisy infestation. Here are some tips:

Be Careful With Live Feed

If you’re bringing in crickets to feed to a pet, make sure they can’t escape. If they do escape, vacuuming them up as quickly as possible will be your best bet.

Seal Entry Points

Inspect your home for possible entry points. Seal cracks and holes in doors, window screens, and so on. This will reduce the chances that crickets sneak in in the first place.

Tidy Up and Keep the House Clean

Having a food source is an invitation to not only crickets, but also other creepy-crawlies, to make themselves at home. Vacuum and sweep regularly, wipe down your kitchen counters, and make sure crumbs and spills are cleaned up promptly.

Use Yellow Bug Lights

Replacing your white or LED lights outside with yellow bug lights will make your entry areas less attractive to insects. This means fewer will be hanging around, waiting for the opportunity to enter your home.

Try Natural Deterrents

Some substances naturally repel insects, including crickets. These include cinnamon, peppermint oil, citrus oils, and diatomaceous earth. You can spray these (or, in the case of essential oils, a diluted version of these) around entry points to discourage insects from hanging around and letting themselves in.

Though crickets are persistent and annoying, they aren’t harmful and won’t cause widespread damage in your home. Still, by understanding why they’re interested in your home in the first place, you can reduce the chances that you’ll unwittingly invite them in. Then, you can enjoy their chorus from afar rather than from in the same room you’re sitting in.