- An adult is about three-fourths inch (19 mm) long with three dark bands on the head with long thin antennae.
- The body is light yellowish brown. House Crickets remain hidden during the day and become active at night. They feed on almost any food found around the home.
- Usually found in warm areas where they can get enough moisture and food.
- In the winter they are often found near fireplaces, kitchens, water heaters and furnace areas
- Each female can lay an average of 728 eggs with the immature
(nymphs) resembling the adults except being wingless.
- Nymphs molt seven to eight times and reach adulthood in about 60 days.
- Also, these crickets can live indoors, completing their life cycle with eggs laid in cracks, crevices and other dark areas such as behind baseboards
- Damage plant seedlings, seeds of grain crops, alfalfa, strawberries, tomatoes and other vegetable crops.
- Damage stored tubers or fruits. In hay meadows, crickets can chew through bale twine
- Chew on clothing, draperies or furniture upholstery. They particularly like fabrics containing organic materials such as cotton, silk and wool
- Reduce hiding places around the perimeter of homes and buildings to discourage build up of cricket populations.
- Removal of dense vegetation, loose bricks, boards, wood piles and other debris minimizes hiding places.
- Deny entry to crickets in homes by sealing cracks and gaps around the foundation, loose-fitting doorways and hose/wire entrance points (e.g., electrical, air conditioner, cable etc.).
- Seal entry points either by caulking cracks and crevices, or by using weather stripping for tighter-fitting garage and other entry doors.
- Insecticides registered for cricket control are available in
various formulations such as aerosols, baits, dusts, granules,
emusifiable concentrates (EC), soluble concentrates (SC) and wettable
powders (WP). - Insecticide products available locally may contain active ingredients as follows: bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, esfenvalerate, permethrin and pyrethrins. Insecticide aerosols are very useful to kill one or a few crickets, but they may not be as effective as more general, residual insecticides