Common Name:
House Cricket
Scientific Name:
Acheta domesticus
Description:
Adults are about 3/4″ – 7/8″ (18 – 22 mm) long. Light yellowish brown in color with 3 dark crossbands on head. Antenna are treadlike and longer than the body. Wings lay flat on the back. Nymphs look like adults except smaller and lack wings.
Places Most Commonly Found:
During warm weather, house crickets typically live outdoors and especially in and around garbage dumps. With the approach of cooler weather they move indoors where you might find a cricket in the house as they seek sheltered spaces such as sheds and houses. These crickets are usually nocturnal or active at night and usually hide in dark warm places during the day. Their presence is indicated by the male’s chirping sound which is done by rubbing their front wings together. Indoors, they will feed on fabrics such as wool, cotton, silk, and synthetics. They eat large areas of fabrics as opposed to the small holes typical of clothes moths. Having a cricket infestation in the house can be a nightmare!
Most Active Period:
Overwintering eggs hatch in late spring. Adults usually appear in late summer with only 1 generation per year.
Difficulty of Control:
House Cricket control is easy with crack and crevice treatments and exclusion methods. This normally will get rid of crickets in your house in short order.
