Crickets are a pest that many people in Virginia Beach don’t think about that often, and there are some mixed emotions regarding these pests in popular culture and myths. On the one hand, crickets are known for their chirping noises and being loud and annoying. On the other hand, some people associate crickets with being a friendly conscience guide or even a food delicacy in some parts of the world.
However, regardless of how you feel about crickets, they are not suitable to have around your property. The most common cricket that invades buildings in the area is the house cricket. This species can be both destructive and dangerous, making them more than just a nuisance pest.
In this guide, you’ll learn all you need to know about identifying and preventing crickets.
What Do Crickets Look Like?
There are many different varieties of cricket found throughout the world, but you can identify the house cricket by their light brownish-yellow coloring and the three dark stripes they have on their heads. They grow to be about ¾ of an inch long and have six legs and a pair of antennae. They make loud noises as they rub their front wings together, which can be frustrating, especially when you are sleeping.
The Problems Crickets Cause
While most people don’t think of crickets as a huge problem, they can definitely become one. First of all, they can cause property damage as they will chew on all kinds of items found throughout a home or business, including furniture, plastic, and other household items.
Secondly, crickets can spread germs and diseases. Luckily, these aren’t fatal, but they can cause painful sores that are unpleasant. Also, you’ll need to throw out any food that has come into contact with crickets.
Five Cricket Prevention Tips
The best way to go about keeping crickets away is to address the elements that attract them. Mainly, crickets seek areas with a lot of clutter, and they will also be attracted to light sources. And, just like most other pests, they also look for areas with access to food and water.
Here are five of the best ways to eliminate these factors and deter crickets:
- Try to keep outdoor lighting to a minimum and face lights away from entrances.
- Get rid of clutter from around your property as well as inside. Make sure to focus on places like garages, sheds, and other outbuildings, too.
- To reduce humidity, fix leaky plumbing and use dehumidifiers in especially humid areas. Lastly, ensure that places like crawl spaces and basements have good ventilation.
- Make it more challenging for crickets to enter by repairing broken screens and installing door sweeps and weather stripping. Also, fix small holes in the walls and foundation using caulk and foam.
- Keep your yard maintained and clean of organic debris like leaves and grass clippings.
These five steps will help minimize the reasons crickets make their way into properties.
The Best Way To Keep Crickets Away
The easiest way to keep crickets from becoming a problem and remove any crickets you might already have around is with assistance from PESTOUT. Our ongoing residential and commercial pest control options will keep these difficult pests away for good.
Give us a call today to schedule a comprehensive inspection. We are also happy to answer any questions that you might have.