Can you hear it? That chirping noise gets faster and faster the warmer the weather, yet as the temperature cools, the chirping slows down. Chances are, you’re hearing a male cricket and the sound is not coming from it’s mouth! That’s stridulation; noise that’s produced by rubbing together certain body parts. Male crickets make this sound to attract females and scare away other male crickets. And the sound actually comes from the underside of their wings as they rub them together. In many cultures the cricket is thought to bring good luck and prosperity.

Crickets are omnivores and scavengers which feed on organic materials such as dead insects, seeds, leather, paper and old cloth (especially if the cloth is stained by food or perspiration). They are particularly fond of wool and silk. Crickets become predatory and will eat their own dead when there is no other source of food available. Because of their relatively powerful jaws, they have been known to bite humans, mostly without breaking the skin. The bite can, however, be painful and cause sores. Crickets are known to carry a large number of diseases which can be spread through their feces, bite, or physical contact.

Crickets are somewhat related to grasshoppers. They have a flattened body, long, thin antennae, hind legs modified for jumping, three-jointed tarsal (foot) segments, and two slender abdominal sensory appendages (called cerci). The two forewings are stiff and leathery, and the two long, membranous hind wings are used for flying.

Keeping the health of the occupants of your home or structure as the first priority, we offer several different approved pest control techniques for the treatment of crickets. These methods may include handspraying, dusting, fogging, baiting and the use of residual crack and crevice aerosol products among other treatments. Because each occurrence is different, treatments will be employed as applicable in specific situations.

Crickets are an unwelcome sight and can be unnerving, disrupting your peaceful home or building. It is for this reason that we suggest a recurring service plan for residential or commercial properties. This will maintain a healthy barrier around your structure should crickets come crawling.