Crickets
Family Gryllidae and Gryllotalpidae
Crickets are jumping insects known for their distinctive chirping sounds. While most species are harmless outdoor dwellers, some can become household pests, invading basements and garages or causing significant damage to lawns and landscaping.
How to Identify Crickets
Physical Characteristics
Crickets are medium-sized insects with cylindrical bodies, long antennae, and powerful hind legs built for jumping. Most species measure between 12mm and 50mm in length. They have two pairs of wings, though not all species fly. The front wings are leathery and protect the more delicate hind wings beneath.
Male crickets produce their characteristic chirping sound by rubbing their front wings together, a process called stridulation. Each species has a distinct chirp pattern that females recognize.
Common Cricket Types
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Field Crickets are the most common species, with shiny black bodies and a loud chirp. They live outdoors but often enter homes in fall seeking warmth.
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House Crickets are light brown and slightly smaller than field crickets. Originally from Asia, they are now common throughout North America and often infest homes.
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Camel Crickets (also called cave crickets) are humpbacked, wingless crickets that prefer dark, damp spaces like basements and crawl spaces. They do not chirp.
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Mole Crickets are burrowing crickets with large, shovel-like front legs. They tunnel through soil and are major lawn pests in the southeastern United States.
Cricket Behavior and Biology
Crickets are primarily nocturnal insects. They hide during the day and become active at night to feed, mate, and call for partners. Most species are omnivorous, eating plants, dead insects, fabric, paper, and even other crickets.
Female crickets lay eggs in soil or plant material using a needle-like ovipositor. Eggs hatch into nymphs that resemble small, wingless adults. Nymphs molt several times before reaching maturity, typically over 8 to 12 weeks.
Crickets are sensitive to temperature. Their chirping rate actually increases with temperature, and some species can be used as a rough thermometer. In cold weather, crickets seek shelter in buildings, leading to fall and winter invasions.
Treatment Methods for Crickets
Effective cricket control combines exclusion, habitat modification, and targeted treatments.
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Exclusion: Seal gaps around doors, windows, pipes, and the foundation. Install door sweeps and repair damaged screens. This prevents crickets from entering in the first place.
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Habitat Modification: Reduce outdoor lighting that attracts crickets, or switch to yellow bug lights. Remove debris, woodpiles, and tall grass near the foundation. Fix moisture problems in basements and crawl spaces.
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Indoor Treatment: Sticky traps placed along walls and in corners capture crickets that make it inside. For larger infestations, professional treatments can eliminate crickets from their hiding spots.
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Lawn Treatment: For mole crickets and other turf-damaging species, lawn treatments applied during the nymph stage in early summer provide the best control. See our mole cricket guide for specific lawn treatment recommendations.
Types of Crickets
Click on any species below to learn more about identification, behavior, and control methods.
Field Crickets
Gryllus spp.
Field crickets are common outdoor insects known for their loud chirping on summer nights. These dark-colored crickets often invade homes in fall seeking warmth, becoming a nuisance with their persistent nighttime calls and ability to damage fabrics.
View identification guide
House Crickets
Acheta domesticus
House crickets are small, light brown insects known for their distinctive nighttime chirping. Originally from Asia, they have become one of the most common indoor cricket species in North America, often invading homes in search of warmth and food.
View identification guide
Mole Crickets
Family Gryllotalpidae
Mole crickets are burrowing insects with shovel-like front legs adapted for digging through soil. They are among the most destructive turf pests in the southeastern United States, causing millions of dollars in lawn damage annually by tunneling and feeding on grass roots.
View identification guideCommon Questions about Crickets
Why are crickets chirping in my house?
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Only male crickets chirp, and they do so to attract females. If you hear chirping inside your home, it means crickets have found their way indoors, typically through gaps around doors, windows, or the foundation. The chirping is loudest during warm weather and at night.
Are crickets harmful to humans?
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Crickets do not bite or sting humans and are not venomous. However, they can damage fabrics, paper, and stored food products. Some species, like mole crickets, cause significant damage to lawns and turf grass by tunneling through soil and feeding on roots.
What attracts crickets to my home?
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Crickets are attracted to light, moisture, and food sources. Outdoor lights at night draw them to your home, and they enter seeking shelter from extreme weather. Basements, garages, and crawl spaces provide the dark, damp conditions they prefer.
How do I get rid of crickets in my basement?
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Reduce moisture by using dehumidifiers and fixing leaks. Seal entry points around pipes and foundations. Remove clutter and debris where crickets hide. Sticky traps can help capture crickets, and professional treatments can eliminate larger infestations.
Do crickets cause lawn damage?
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Most crickets do not damage lawns. However, mole crickets are a major exception. They tunnel through soil, severing grass roots and causing brown patches of dead turf. Mole cricket damage is most common in the southeastern United States.
How long do crickets live?
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Most cricket species live 8 to 10 weeks as adults, though their entire life cycle from egg to adult takes 2 to 3 months. In warm climates, crickets can remain active year-round, while in cooler regions they typically die off in late fall.
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With five years of hands-on experience in the pest control industry, George Schulz is a registered technician with the Virginia Pest Management Association and a proud third-generation professional in a family business that's been protecting homes for over 57 years.
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