Field And House Crickets

Autumn hasn’t arrived yet, but you could be forgiven for thinking it did this week, as temperatures dropped into the 60's and Thanksgiving suddenly seemed a lot closer. The cool weather might not be here to stay — yet — but summer is certainly on the wane, and with the changing of the seasons comes a new pest: Crickets. In this post we’ll take a quick look at two kinds of crickets; a third, camel crickets, are quite different and deserve a post of their own.

Field crickets are dark brown, gray, or black, and usually stay outside, eating plant material. But don’t let the name fool you: in the late fall and winter, as vegetation dries up and temperatures plummet, field crickets will seek refuge inside structures, seeking both food and warmth. A good start to controlling field crickets is concentrating on outdoor lighting, as they are attracted to lighted areas, and mowing lawns, as tall grass provides excellent harborage for all kinds of pests.

House crickets are yellow to brown in color, slightly smaller than their field cricket relatives, and also live outdoors. However, they will not hesitate to move into your home if they can find access. They’re nocturnal, and will eat just about anything — fruits and vegetables, various foods, paper, fabrics, and more. You probably don’t have to worry about damage, but no one enjoys living with a thriving, chirping cricket population.

Crickets are covered by our year-round Premium Protection Plan, or a one-time perimeter spray should control them for the rest of the season. For more information, call us at 302-436-8140.

Published: August 14, 2013