GUIDE TO STOPPING CRICKETS FROM CHIRPING IN YOUR AIKEN HOME

The soothing sound of crickets chirping on a warm summer night can be somewhat romantic. But there is nothing soothing or romantic about frantically tearing up your living room in the middle of the night trying to find the irritating pest that will not stop making that noise! Everyone knows that sleep deprivation can cause health problems (among other things) so it is important to understand a few things about crickets. Today, we will learn about crickets, how they get into Aiken homes, and how to keep them out.

What Do House Crickets Look Like?

A house cricket is a tan insect with wings, 6 legs, 2 antennae, and 3 cross bands on its head. These insects measure between ¾ and ⅞ inches in length. When temperatures in fall begin to cool down, crickets may make their way into homes.

A Few Interesting Facts About Crickets:

• Not all types of crickets are able to chirp. A house cricket will rub his front wings together, making a chirping sound. But spider crickets do not do this. These are creepy-looking creatures that will jump out at you from a basement wall, but they will do it quietly.
• Only male crickets chirp. Even with house crickets, not all of them make noise. The females of this species do not chirp. They are, however, attracted to the chirping of male crickets. Can crickets breed in your house? You bet they can. If a male gets inside, and a female follows, baby crickets will soon follow.
• Crickets like the darkness. These insects are most active at night and they love to hide out in dark places. Some places they hide include dark, damp, warm places such as tall grass, shrubs, crawlspaces, and basements.
• Crickets like the lights. This might sound like a contradiction but it's true. While crickets are most active in the dark hours of the night, if there are electric lights on outside a house, crickets will be drawn to them.
• Crickets will eat fabrics if they are trapped inside. If you were wondering, "Do house crickets bite?" the answer is yes, but not humans. Normal food for a cricket in the wild includes plants and insects, but they will nibble on your wardrobe if they get stuck inside and have no other choice.

What Are Crickets Attracted To?

If you have plants and insects on your property, crickets will be attracted to your home. They can also be attracted to heat when the weather begins to cool. And they are attracted to outside lights. If your property has lots of tall grass and other hiding places, crickets will love you for it.

How Do Crickets Get Inside Houses?

There are many ways a cricket or two can end up inside a home. They may squeeze in through a crack in a foundation wall. They can walk under an exterior door that has a gap under it. They may hop in through a screen with a tear in it. Or they might walk right in through an open front door. Another way crickets can get inside is if they are accidentally carried in on an object such as a potted plant. And it isn't unheard of for "pet food" crickets to accidentally be set free inside a house.

While crickets don't bite humans or transmit diseases, most of us would rather not have them in our homes—especially those noisy males that keep us up all night. 

Here are a few house cricket-prevention tips you can try implementing to keep these annoying critters outside where they belong:

• Inspect the outside of your foundation and walls and seal up any gaps or cracks that you find.
• Make sure all of your door and window screens are present and in good repair.
• Check under exterior doors and install door sweeps where needed.
• If you have outdoor lights, consider using yellow, insect-resistant light bulbs.

Get Crickets Out And Keep Them Out The Professional Way

If you would like to avoid crickets getting inside your Aiken home and keeping you awake at night, or if you are already at your wit's end and sleep-deprived because of crickets in your home, the pest professionals here at Aiken Pest Control can help. Life is better when crickets stay outside where they belong.