If you're struggling with a cricket infestation, you may want to know whether you can manage it naturally. The answer is yes! There are several measures you can take to minimize or eliminate a cricket infestation.
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:
Read on to learn more about how you can defeat crickets naturally.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Once you get your cricket infestation under control, there are a few things you can do to prevent them from returning.
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.
There’s a lot more to crickets than meets the eye (or ear, in this case). Let’s delve into the intriguing world of crickets and uncover some lesser-known facts.
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.
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.
Edible crickets: Maybe it’s not what you want to see on your plate, but crickets have a lot of potential in the future of sustainable nutrition.
When it comes down to crickets vs. cockroaches, knowing the difference between these two creatures is the key to keeping your home bug-free.