Crickets, CRICKETS, crickets, cricket control, cricket exterminating, spraying for crickets

There four types of crickets most common: HOUSE CRICKETS, CAMEL CRICKETS, FIELD CRICKETS and MOLE CRICKETS.

Crickets can be very annoying, but unless there are large numbers, they do very little damage.

HOUSE CRICKETS

They live outdoors, but may come inside in great numbers. Adults are 3/4-1 inch long, light yellowish-brown with 3 dark bands on the head. They will eat almost anything, will chew on damaged silk and woolens. House crickets are nocturnal, staying hidden during the day. They have a distinctive chirping sound. They can be found in warm places like kitchens, basements, fireplaces, also in cracks and crevices and behind baseboard.

House crickets will attack paper, damage silk, woolens, fruits, and vegetables all kinds of foods, and even rubber. However, unless large numbers occur, such damage is usually minor.

Crickets are rather closely related to cockroaches, so have a gradual metamorphosis. The young, or nymphs, look like adults, except that their wings and genitalia are not developed fully.

FIELD CRICKETS

Field crickets are widely distributed over the United States. This cricket is slightly longer than the House Cricket and is dark brown to Grey or black.

Field crickets prefer to live outside, feeding on plants, but will come inside if food sources dry up or there or unfavorable extremes in temperatures.

Field crickets are often attracted to lighted areas at night.

Thus, problems with crickets can be lessened by turning off these lights during periods when crickets are numerous, or at least manipulating lights so the crickets are less bothersome.

Otherwise, exclusion techniques should be applied to keep crickets from entering structures as much as possible.

CAMEL CRICKETS

Camel crickets are also known as hump-back crickets due to its' hump-back appearance. Camel crickets are light to dark brown, about 1/2 -1 1/2 inch long. Their diet is almost anything but camel crickets will feed on clothes. Camel Crickets are most often are found in crawl spaces and basements, but also like any cool and damp area like under logs or stones. Treat camel crickets as you would house crickets, but pay particular attention to crawl spaces and basements.

Camel crickets are light to dark brown, about 1/2 - 1 1/2 inch long. There diet is almost anything but will feed on clothes. Camel crickets are most often are found in crawl spaces and basements, but also like any cool and damp area like under logs or stones. Treat as you would the House Cricket, but pay particular attention to crawl spaces and basements.

MOLE CRICKETS

Adult mole crickets are plump, winged and 1 to 1.25 inches long.

Mole crickets are seldom seen, because, like moles, they stay underground most of the time.

Mole crickets fly and mate twice a year, spring and fall.

At this time you will find their exit holes of an inch or more.

Mole cricket nymphs are wingless but look like small adults.

The nymphs can become very numerous and cause great damage to your grass during the warm summer months.

Control methods aimed at eliminating mole cricket nymphs yield the best results, simply because they easier to kill than adults.

Those meandering surface ridges that suddenly appear on your lawn indicate the presence of mole crickets.

The next symptom is will be dead or damaged plants.

Two common mole cricket species attack plants - the Northern Mole Cricket and the Southern Mole Cricket.

Vegetable crops may be damaged by the mole crickets. Treatments for mole crickets usually include a thorough treatment of the infested area with a residual insecticide such as Bifen IT Liquid or Bifen LP Granulars

Mole crickets are the number one pest of turf in southern Alabama and Georgia, throughout Florida, and are spreading quickly along the Gulf Coastal region and Eastern Seaboard.

Their damage appears as brown spongy areas within normal green grass.

Upon inspection you will notice the grass has been eaten just below the surface, separating the plant from its roots.

Mole crickets are especially fond of Bermuda and centipede grass, but have also been found in St. Augustine lawns in the Florida Panhandle and along the Alabama coast. Mole Cricket Adults and Nymphs Adult mole crickets are plump, winged and 1 to 1.25 inches long. They are seldom seen, because, like moles, they stay underground most of the time. They fly and mate twice a year, spring and fall. At this time you will find their exit holes of an inch or more.

RECOMMENDED MEASURES OF CONTROL : HOUSE, FIELD AND CAMEL CRICKETS

Recommended products and treatments for crickets are Cyper WP or Cyonara 9.7

Spray the Demon WP or Suspend on all entry points, doors, windows, plumbing under the sinks, washer and dryer connections, baseboards and garage and basement areas. ..along the baseboards.

Both of these products are odorless and last 3 months...considered a long term residual insecticide.

If you don't want to use a residual insecticide, and excellent alternative would be a very effective bait called Intice Bait Granules for use inside and outside in non-food areas, in particular crawl spaces, basements, garages, or the perimeter of the home.

RECOMMENDED MEASURES OF CONTROL : MOLE CRICKETS

Mole cricket nymphs are wingless but look like small adults. The nymphs can become very numerous and cause great damage to your grass during the warm summer months. Control methods aimed at eliminating mole cricket nymphs yield the best results, simply because they easier to kill than adults.

Treatments for mole crickets usually include a thorough treatment of the infested area with a residual insecticide such as Bifen It Liquid Insecticide or Bifen LP Granulars Mole crickets treatment should be timed to kill immatures (nymphs) which do the most damage to turf grasses.

In the Southern coastal states treat with Bifen LP or Bifen IT during the latter end of April or beginning of May.

In the Carolina coastal area toward the end of May is a good time for Bifen LP Granule Insecticide or Bifen IT applications.

It would be more advantageous to treat the immature stages rather than the adult stages. You will want to treat the younger mole crickets stages that do the damage to the turf.