Cricket Facts & Information

What Orkin Does

Your local Orkin Pro is trained to help manage crickets and similar pests. Since every building or home is different, your Orkin Pro will design a unique cricket treatment program for your situation. Orkin can provide the right solution to keep crickets in their place and out of your home or business.

Appearance

• Size: House crickets measure 16 to 22 mm in length. Field crickets can grow to measure more than 2.5 cm in length. Ground crickets are much smaller than other common crickets.

• Color: House crickets are light yellowish-brown in color and exhibit three dark bands atop their heads. Field crickets are brown or black in color. Ground crickets are brown.

• Wings: Held flat against the body, their wings cover at least half of their abdomen, but some species are wingless. Young appear similar to adults, although their wings are underdeveloped.

• Characteristics: Females feature a long ovipositor in the rear, which is used to lay eggs within the soil, and both sexes have segmented, taillike appendages known as cerci.

Behavior

Crickets renew soil minerals by breaking down plant and animal-based materials. They also provide food for other animals, including:

• Birds

• Lizards

• Rodents

Diet

These pests are omnivorous, meaning that they will eat:

• Crops

• Plant and animal-based materials

• Seedlings

Habitat

Most crickets prefer damp, moist conditions. Residents may notice these insects in different places including:

• Bathrooms

• Basements

• Crawl spaces

• Under logs and rocks

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Crickets complete a gradual metamorphosis from egg to nymph to adult. When attracting a mate, male crickets create sound by rubbing their forewings against each other. Their songs attract their species.

Cricket Chirp

Crickets have different chirping “songs” for:

• Attracting mates

• Fighting

• Sounding alarms

More Information

Baby Crickets

Cave Crickets

Cricket Chirp

Do Crickets Fly?

Mole Crickets