Some pests are pretty common but people aren’t aware of how damaging they can truly be. Crickets in Aiken, known for their at-times pleasant chirping that adds rustic notes to the air, are misunderstood as pests. Only those who have had to deal with their annoying problems realize how destructive and difficult to get rid of a cricket infestation can be. Learning how you can spot the signs of a cricket invasion, as well as what steps you can take to stay ahead of these problems, will help you never have to realize the downsides of these insects.
About Common House Crickets
While people know that crickets make their iconic sounds at night and in the early morning, most don’t know how this works -- or many other notable traits about crickets. For instance, did you know that only male crickets chirp? They do so using comb-like teeth on their legs and rears, which they rub together to sing their mating songs. While people use these sounds as a sleep aid, a horde of crickets outside your window making this sound can quickly change your tune about how pleasant this chirping is. By the time you’re fed up with a cricket population, it may have caused health concerns and property damage, not to mention grown to unmanageable proportions.
What Problems Do Crickets Cause?
Not only can they be annoying and hard to get rid of, but crickets are also actually harmful to your health and property. Here are some of the problems known to accompany an infestation of crickets:
- Disease: Did you know crickets spread disease? It’s true, they can spread salmonella and other dangerous illnesses, as well as parasites.
- Damage: Crickets eat fibrous keratin that’s found in leather and some fabrics, meaning they can chew through items and cause irreversible loss of property.
- Insomnia: As cricket populations grow, their nocturnal habits become harder and harder to sleep through. Many property owners have lost a night’s sleep from a cricket infestation.
Cricket Prevention For Your Property
Rather than jump on the factors that lead to pest problems after the fact, it’s important to keep up with preventative measures that will help make your property less attractive to crickets and other invasive bugs. Here are some smart, simple steps:
- Landscaping: Crickets like the shelter and shade that tall grasses or overgrowth provide. Keeping your yard trim will reduce areas where crickets can linger and find areas to nest.
- Moisture control: Crickets prefer dark, moist places, which make certain areas of a property more attractive to them than other areas in nature. Address spills and plumbing issues quickly, and be sure you have proper ventilation in problem rooms like bathrooms and basements.
- Windows & doors: Crickets can hop or fly inside, making windows and doors common areas for them to enter through. Proper screen and door sweep installation can help fortify these potential access points.
Total Cricket Protection From The Professionals
It can be tempting with pest problems to only worry about them when they are apparent, or to assume that your home is more protected than it truly is. With the damage, annoyance, and elimination difficulty that crickets pose, you don’t want to take a chance on an infestation. Not only should you keep up with preventative measures, but you should also enlist the help of experts who can make sure to address all problem areas. At Aiken Pest, our technicians can help determine your level of risk of a cricket infestation with a thorough inspection. If pest problems are already forming, you can count on us to get rid of them before they cause further damage to your property.
For timely and effective cricket control, trust Aiken Pest today.