Crickets are easily recognized by their familiar chirping, but there’s far more to them than just the sound they make. Reading this page on cricket information, including what they are, how to recognize them, and which species are most common in the U.S., will enable you to identify crickets confidently and better understand their behaviors.
A cricket is an insect in the Gryllidae family, closely related to grasshoppers and katydids (bush crickets). There are hundreds of species worldwide, but only a few are found in and around homes and businesses in the U.S. Crickets are considered a pest when they move indoors, where they can damage fabrics, paper, and stored goods.
An important fact about crickets is that while many are harmless outdoors, they cause problems in agriculture, damaging crops, feeding on seedlings, and stripping plants. They can also cause disruption indoors. Our local technicians can help eliminate cricket infestations and prevent them from returning with expert cricket control services.
Crickets go through three life stages: egg, nymph, and adult. Nymphs look like small wingless adults and shed their skin several times before maturity. While each species varies slightly, most crickets share a few key traits:
Although their lifespan is typically only 10 weeks, they create sanitation issues and attract predators. Large cricket populations, such as Mormon crickets in the Western U.S., can also be hugely destructive to crops, leading to significant economic and ecological damage.
House crickets are one of the most common indoor cricket species. They are often found inside buildings, especially during cooler weather. They thrive in warm environments like kitchens, basements, and near heating systems, like HVAC units. Males produce the loud chirping produced by rubbing their wings together.
They feed on fabrics, like cotton, silk, and wall, and paper, stored food, and even rubber materials if available. Females can lay up to 100 eggs in cracks and crevices.
Despite their name, Jerusalem crickets are not true crickets and do not chirp. These insects belong to a different family, Stenopelmatidae, rather than the true cricket family Gryllidae. They are large, flightless insects found mainly in the western U.S., often hiding under rocks, logs, or in loose soil. They feed on roots, tubers, and decaying organic matter.
Mole crickets spend most of their lives underground, tunneling through soil with their specialized forelegs. This activity can damage turfgrass and root systems, damaging lawns, golf courses, and gardens.
They are nocturnal and often come to the surface at night to feed.
Field crickets prefer outdoor habitats such as lawns, fields, and gardens, but they may move indoors during extreme weather, especially hot and dry spells. This makes them a constant threat in heated hospitality, healthcare, and school facilities with outside areas.
Known to chew on crops, seedlings, and ornamental plants, they can also damage stored items indoors. Their chirping is loud and repetitive, and intensity often increases with warmer evening temperatures, annoying residents, visitors, and patients.
Also called cave crickets, these insects are wingless and do not chirp. They are strong jumpers, using their long hind legs to startle predators.
Camel crickets are drawn to high-moisture areas like crawl spaces, basements, and under decks. They feed on fungi, plant debris, and occasionally fabric or paper indoors.
If you’re dealing with persistent cricket activity, whether in a residential or commercial property, it’s worth calling in a cricket exterminator. Our technicians can help identify the exact species, locate entry points, and apply treatments that target both adult crickets and hidden eggs.
Only males chirp, using their specialized wings to attract females and mark territory. The sound can also warn other males and establish dominance.
Crickets are primarily nocturnal, with peak activity during warm nights. They are generally quieter during the day when they hide from predators.
Crickets feed on a variety of plant material, insects, and even fabrics. Outdoors, they may also consume seeds, fruits, and decaying vegetation.
Crickets are most noticeable in late summer and fall, when outdoor temperatures drop. Seasonal migrations indoors often coincide with changes in humidity and daylight hours.
Crickets are not known to spread diseases to humans, but they can contaminate food and attract other pests. Their droppings and shed skins can also trigger allergies.
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