You might not think of crickets as a prominent pest, but these noisy little bugs can be a real nuisance around the home. Not only do crickets make a racket, but they pose real risks to the health of your family and the longevity of your valuable belongings. So, is it dangerous to have crickets in your Anna, TX home? Let’s find out.

What To Know About Crickets

Crickets are pests that you usually hear long before you see. Their distinct chirping is produced by the hind legs of male crickets, rubbed together in efforts to attract a mate. While there are many types of crickets found in the United States, the house cricket is (perhaps unsurprisingly) the most likely to infest your home. House crickets typically measure between 3/4 and 7/8 inches in length. These pests have a yellowish-brown color and a three-banded pattern on the back of the head. 

Most folks think of crickets as musical sidekicks in old animated movies or exotic snacks to challenge your daring palate. But crickets are a legitimate threat to your well-being and can be as hazardous as more infamous pests like cockroaches and mice.

How Dangerous Are Crickets?

Don’t let their musical talents fool you. Crickets are bad news around the home. Their relentless chirping can certainly drive you crazy, but crickets present more problems than just that.

First, crickets are destructive. In the wild, crickets follow an omnivorous diet and are happy to munch on plants or eat other insects for food. But indoors, crickets are known to go after cloth and fabric. Clothing, blankets, curtains, carpeting, and more are all on the menu for hungry crickets. 

And even worse, crickets spread disease. Cricket droppings are known to transmit E. coli and salmonella bacteria, which can result in a number of health problems for unsuspecting homeowners. Crickets can also transmit parasitic worms through their feces. And if that weren’t bad enough, contact with cricket feces can even cause the development of open wounds on human skin. 

Crickets are known to bite when handled and can sometimes break the skin. They have no venom or chemical defense, but their bites can be painful and potentially spread disease.

What Attracts Crickets?

You may have crickets in your Anna home because of excess humidity and moisture, bright outdoor lights at night, or simply because of too much overgrown vegetation in your yard. These problems are easily fixed and once addressed, you can expect to see a difference in the population of crickets in your home.

You can keep crickets out of your home by:

• Turning off the lights: Keeping your outdoor lights off as much as possible is a good policy. But if you need to keep your outdoor lights on, try switching to a yellow bulb or sodium vapor lamp.
• Keeping up with yard work: Mow the lawn regularly and trim up your bushes and hedges. Remove any leaf piles or other yard waste. Move stacks of firewood at least 20 feet from the home and try to store on an elevated platform.
• Addressing moisture issues: Seal any leaking pipes or faucets. Reduce humidity by opening windows and running fans for ventilation or installing a dehumidifier. Ensure that drains are flowing properly to prevent water backup. 

For advice or assistance with crickets in your Anna home, contact the pros at EcoArmor Pest Defense. With our safe and effective residential pest control services, you can trust that your cricket problem is a thing of the past. Our results are guaranteed, and environmentally-friendly pest control options are always available at no extra cost. Get in touch with us today.