The trouble just doesn't stop there. Once a female cricket makes it into your home, it may lay its eggs - hundreds or even thousands of them. Cricket eggs takes about a year to hatch, so detection is quite difficult, if not impossible.
Getting Rid of Crickets
Crickets can cause damage and a lot of inconvenience, especially if you have just bought new clothes or if you have just had your furniture repaired or replaced.
Getting rid of crickets in your home is quite easy. There are several products on the market that aid in getting rid of these pests. The most effective and preferred ways of eradicating crickets in homes is the use of poisons or baits. There are also homemade solutions that are easy to do and are effective. Here are some of the common ways to get rid of them.
* Bug Spray and Other Chemicals - The majority of bug sprays on the market are capable of killing crickets. There are also chemicals specifically made for crickets. These products are usually in liquid form. Spray or apply these chemicals in places where you hear or see cricket infestation. These chemicals are also dangerous to humans, so make sure you read the instructions before using any of them.
* Cricket Bait - This is a more passive approach for getting rid of crickets. Simply leave the bait in places where there are crickets. Cricket bait is only for crickets, so make sure your pets or your children do not pick them up and eat them. If you are concerned with toxic chemicals, then you can make a homemade solution. Just half-fill a glass jar with molasses and place it near cricket-infested spots. Crickets are attracted to the smell of molasses so they jump in, only to drown in it. If you use this one method, make sure you clean it regularly. Dead crickets don't make good decorations.
* Cricket Traps - Cricket traps are best used outside the house to prevent them from coming in. They can be placed near windows and doors, or in those small crevices where crickets can sneak in.
* Pest Control - If cricket infestation gets too out of hand or you are just too lazy to do any cricket hunting, then call in the pros to do the job for you.
Before using any of these methods, a little research won't hurt. Search the Internet to determine which of these methods is best for your situation. Also, make sure that you do some regular general cleaning in your house. This can help you determine if you already have cricket infestations in your home before they start eating through your stuff.
Cricket-Proofing Your Home
No matter how hard you try or how expensive the chemicals you use, if your home can easily be infested by these pests, your efforts will be worthless. To make sure that no brave cricket finds its way into your home and into your closets, you must make your home cricket-proof - this means blocking off every entry point in your home that may be used by these uninvited guests.
Start by sealing cracks and crevices along walls, doors, windows, and air vents. If you can't seal off the opening, then cover the area with a screen, cloth, or any material that a cricket can't pass through.
Crickets love vegetation. If you have a lot of plants around your house, keep them trimmed and under control. Also, make sure plants and grasses are at least a meter away from the walls of your house. Crickets love to gather near walls where foliage is abundant. Soon, they may eat through your home's walls and make it inside.
Debris and other junk must also go. If you have a lot of it in your garage or in your garden, you need to discard it as soon as possible. You don't want these crickets building a nest anywhere near your home, so see to it your garbage bins are covered or sealed.
Make sure you also check your drains and roof gutters. Debris often gathers in those spots and is often left unchecked, making it an ideal nest for crickets. Regular cleaning and inspection will get rid of both crickets and the thousands of eggs laid there.
If you have bright lights outside your house, you may want to replace them with low light or "bug" bulbs. Crickets are attracted to bright lighting at night, so having them on is like holding a sign that reads: "Crickets are welcome here." A trip to your local hardware shop to buy these low-light bulbs will save you the worries of attracting hordes of crickets to your home. Low-light bulbs emit a yellowish glow and are inexpensive. If you can't find them, then keep your bright lights off at night.
It is a lot easier to prevent a cricket infestation than to be forced to get rid of them. Getting rid of them can be very costly, especially when they destroy your clothes and furniture. If you have yet to experience a cricket infestation, check over your entire house to make sure you never do.
