09-07-2016 Wed @02:47:31 PM "pDt" recently re SO many crickets and they're

coming in the house now...

https://www.reference.com/pets-animals/crickets-eat-b9cc2b604bc7a419
Crickets are omnivores and will eat fruit, seeds, leaves, other
insects, nectar and parts of dead animals. While they are
agricultural pests that will eat crops and seeds, this occurs
rarely. Overall, crickets are not bothersome to humans.
They are most often found in humid areas, in soil or where plants
are found. They can live for a year or more, but typically cannot
handle cold winters.
http://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?
identification=House-Cricket
http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/crickets.htm
There four types of crickets most common: House Crickets, Camel
Crickets, Field Crickets and Mole Crickets.

Crickets can be extremely annoying, but unless there are large

numbers, they do little damage.
House Crickets live outdoors but may come inside in considerable
numbers. Adults have three dark bands on the head, 3/4-1 inch long and
are light yellowish-brown.

They will eat almost anything, will chew on or damage 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 . Both crickets and

roaches have a gradual metamorphosis. The young nymphs resemble
adults, but the wings are not fully developed.

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 are seen in flower beds, overgrown grass and lawns. As an
over-wintering insect, they lay eggs in the soil. Their eggs hatch in late
spring and develop to adults by late summer.The life of a Field cricket is
about ninety days.

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.

Since Field crickets are attracted to lights at night , further control can
be obtained by turning off these lights. Sealing off crack and
crevices to keep them from entering homes and structures should
be done as much as possible.

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.

These insects are not true crickets since they do not have wings.

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.

Mole Crickets

https://www.reference.com/pets-animals/different-types-crickets-
1ebed7df3edd33f8
House crickets can grow up to an inch long. They appear light
brown in color and are distinguishable by their high attraction
to light.
http://www.getridofthings.com/pests/bugs/get-rid-of-crickets/
Place cricket traps along walls and in corners. Sticky traps or glue boards
for mice and rats are better at catching crickets than they are rodents.
Place a small amount of cornmeal at the center of each trap for bait and set
a few traps in offending areas along walls, in corners, near heat and
moisture sources, and wherever you’re having problems
How do crickets clean themselves - Answers.com
www.answers.com › ... › Animal Life › Arthropods › Insects ›
Crickets (Insect)
They groom their legs by running them through their mouthparts,
andtheir heads and antennae by rubbing them with their legs.
https://wow.osu.edu/experiments/Insects/Cricket%20Grooming%20%20
Crickets need their sensory organs to understand the world around
them. Crickets taste, smell, and feel with the hairs that cover
their bodies. Sensory hairs on the antennae, cerci, mouthparts
and other body parts have holes in them to allow molecules to
enter (odor, taste) and contact nerves that send the signal to
the brain. If the holes get covered then they cannot taste or
smell.
http://www.getridofthings.com/pests/bugs/get-rid-of-crickets/
Crickets are intensely attracted to traditional lighting.Almost
all species of cricket will fly towards light with reckless
abandon. You can avoid plagues of crickets on your property and
in your home simply by replacing porch lights and lights near
windows (even upper-level windows) and structures with yellow
“bug lights”, sodium vapor lamps, or amber LED lights, which are
far less enticing to insect eyes.
Where crickets hide in cracks and crevices, insecticidal dusts
like Delta Dust Insecticide or diatomaceous earth work well. In
basements, attics, crawl spaces, outbuildings, and home
perimeters and lawns, cricket baits are often used. NiBan
Granular Bait, which consists of boric acid, has gotten many
positive reviews from customers,
Vacuuming crickets to death. If you’ve got a vacuum with a HEPA
filter, then you’ve got a great, non-toxic method for killing
crickets. They are a crack-and-crevice insect, so you may need
that odd attachment to pull crickets and their eggs out from
trim, baseboards, carpet perimeters, wall voids, etc. Be sure to
dispose of vacuum contents in an outdoor receptacle.
Food-grade diatomaceous earth. DE offers a slow cricket kill, but
it is also food grade and completely safe around children and
pets. Lightly dust around windows, trim, corners, along walls, in
crawl spaces, attics, and anywhere these pests reside. Crickets
walk over it, start leaking, and eventually die. DE can also be
dusted over gardens or applied as a barrier treatment around your
home.
The molasses cricket trap.Why hunt elusive crickets when you can
lure them to their doom? All you need to effectively trap
crickets is a clean jar, molasses, and water. Dilute some
molasses with some water and place it in the jar. Set the jars
out in cricket-infested areas (indoors or outdoors) and watch as
their chirps are silenced in the sweet, soupy mixture. It is a
good idea to clean these jars out regularly, as jars full of
molasses-drowned crickets can excite the gag reflex. No molasses?
Beer will work as a substitute attractant.
The live cricket trap. Why take them alive? Crickets are a
nutritious food for pet snakes and lizards, and if you’re into
fishing, they make for effective, attention-getting bait. For
catching them in mass, fill a smallish box or container with
lettuce and a light source, and leave it partially open overnight
in a cricket-prone area. You should be flush with crickets by
morning. If you want to capture the few crickets chirping in the
basement, leave an open beer bottle on its side with several
drops of beer left inside. The crickets will get in but have a
hard time getting out.
http://www.whatdocricketseat.info/
What do Crickets Eat and Drink?
Crickets are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plants and animals
depending on what's available to them. They prefer rotting plant
matter, but they will also munch on tender leaves, fungi and
fruit when the opportunity presents itself. They like to burrow
into the undergrowth of wooded areas, where there's plenty of
food as well as shelter from predators. If they can catch other
insects or bugs, they will also enjoy a meaty snack. A colony of
crickets that have run out of food may even turn on weaker
members in an act of cannibalism. As you might have guessed, most
crickets aren't very discriminating about their diet; the truth
is, a cricket will eat just about anything. If one finds its way
into your house, you may find chewed up papers and even holes in
your clothes from exploratory nibbling.
If you have pet crickets, a varied diet will keep them happy,
healthy and non-cannibalistic. Leafy vegetables such as cabbage
and lettuce, fruits like apples and grains like cereals and bread
are all healthy choices your crickets will love.
Well the best way to get crickets eating is to change the food
you feed them every few days. Start by slicing up and apple, if
you have apples or other fruits that have started to get over
ripe, your pet crickets will love to eat them. If you have
leftover grits or oatmeal your pet crickets will be more than
happy to finish them for you. If you want to feed them something
more natural you can always go to the woods and find rotten
branches and other detritus on the forest floor.
40 000 crickets eat a whole head of lettuce - YouTube
Video for what do crickets eat▶ 1:23
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSlRjUE2fA8
Jan 23, 2009 - Uploaded by Greg Waldock
40 000 crickets eat a whole head of lettuce in less than one hour.
http://www.asktheexterminator.com/Crickets/What_Do_Crickets_Eat.s
html/
This is why you need to go into hunting-mode when you hear one
inside your home. They will dine on leather, certain types of
cloth, and paper. Your clothing is fair game, as well, including
items made of silk, wool, cotton, rayon, fur and almost any kind
of fabric known to man. Any food sitting out is also fair game
because they will eat meat, fruits, and vegetables if they can
access it.
Identifying the species of cricket on your property will help you
determine their food source. House crickets, for example, consume
fruits and vegetables, meat, cereal, and fabrics. This species
especially loves eating wet fabrics.
Field crickets eat, among other things, rubber and plastic. Look
for this type of cricket around dumpsters or large garbage cans
outside. Field crickets cannot reproduce indoors, so they are
less likely to be seen there.
If you fall into the category of box savers, newspaper savers and
stuff like that, you are inviting crickets. Clutter creates
living environments for crickets
Crickets tend to feed on fabrics that have perspiration or food
stains on them. (Fabrics that are unstained are rarely eaten by
crickets.) Make sure to wash out stains immediately after they
occur.
¢ Look for tiny holes on your fabrics, especially if they have
not been cleaned in awhile.
¢ Inspect for crickets. This may be hard to do because the bugs
will hide in fabric. One trick that might help is to lay out a
big white sheet on the floor, and shake out your damaged clothes
above the sheet. Any crickets that are hiding will fall onto the
sheet. You can the n dispose of the pests at your leisure.
http://www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/homemade-bait-
will-banish-crickets/
Cricket extermination recipe

8 ounces granular (not liquid) boric acid

1/2 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup bacon drippings

A few drops water

— Keep this away from pets and small children

— Mix flour and boric acid and stir in chopped onion. Blend into
creamed bacon grease and sugar. Add just enough water (only a
dribble) to form soft dough. Shape into small balls.

— This concoction will eat its way through waxed paper and leave
a greasy residue, so place the balls on plastic coffee-can lids,
aluminum foil, or discarded saucers, etc. If you get the bait too
thin to make balls, which is easy to do, just spoon some onto the
dish. It will work.

— Place bait where crickets are likely to appear — usually in the

garage, on patios, in storage barns and buildings, and sometimes
even in kitchens and bathrooms.
— Remember to throw several under the house, but keep them away
from pets and small children. When the bait dries out, replace it
with fresh bait until crickets are gone. Store the excess in
labeled plastic or glass containers in refrigerator or freezer.
Dwight Barnett is a certified master inspector.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6QLxwPNaKM

he put "rotting vegetation" overripe strawberries in the bottom & some

small cardboard pieces for them to hide under so they won't try to jump
out. It's a water bottle cut off. For laying on the ground instead of in a hole,
put the top part in like a funnel & remove lid then lay on its side.

He then put a piece of wood for them to crawl on re the slick plastic.
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Crickets
Catch them with cricket bait. This easy method for luring
crickets from corners and crevices is the most effective
immediate solution.
Place a few spoonfuls of molasses in a shallow bowl, and fill it
halfway up with water. Set the bowl in the room where you have a
cricket problem. Crickets love molasses, and they'll hop into the
bowl when they smell it. Empty the bowl frequently.
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-kill-crickets-using-
natural-products
Apart from its sweet flavor, molasses is the key ingredient to a
sweet trap most crickets cannot resist. Just mix 1/2 cup of
molasses with 5 cups of water and place the mixture into an open
glass jar. The molasses will attract the crickets and cause them
to jump inside the jar. Once inside, the water will do the rest
of the work. For best results, place the jars at various points
throughout your home and make sure to empty them whenever you
find any dead crickets.
Diatomaceous earth
If you have a cricket problem outside of the house, then consider
using a natural pesticide to deal with the issue. This includes
mixing soap into a water bottle and spraying it directly on the
crickets. The soap breaks down the outer shells of the insects
and eventually kills them. Additionally, a natural spray made
from hot peppers is an effective way to discourage crickets from
eating in the garden. In contrast to the soap spray, pepper spray
can be applied beforehand.
http://www.thebestcontrol.com/bugstop/control_cricket.htm
baits containing 3% - 5% borax, food-grade DE or duct tape
(placed sticky-side up) are all that is usually all that is
needed indoors for adequate cricket control. Crickets require a
steady supply of fresh water and will drown easily in a shallow
dish with a few pieces of dry dog food put in a shot glass in the
middle of the saucer
You can make your own bait with corn meal and (1% - 5%) sodium
borate or borax or food-grade DE. Try spraying diluted borax or
food-grade DE directly on the problem area/bait/pest.

Be careful not to contaminate anything (especially plants) with

borax
Clean or simply spray infested areas with Safe Solutions, Inc.
Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint (1 oz. per quart of water), or a
steam cleaner and/or borax (½ cup per gallon of water).
You can make your own baits using any food source the crickets
seem to prefer, but these baits must be placed only where people,
pets and/or wildlife can not reach them. Try corn meal sprayed or
mixed with a water solution containing 1% - 5% borax or lightly
dusted with food-grade DE and place in out of the way areas -
away from people, pets and wildlife. Sprinkle baking soda,
Comet®, talcum or medicated body powder in infested areas- vacuum
everything up when control is accomplished.
Diluted Safe Solutions, Inc. Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint enzymes at a
rate of 1 oz. per quart of water kills 100% of the crickets in about 10
seconds.

Dish soap at 1 oz. per quart of water (=8T/gal) kills them all in 35 seconds .
Vinegar in water (at 4 oz. per quart) kills crickets in about a
minute. Salt water will kill about 50% in about a minute. Lemon
juice in water (4 oz. per quart) will kill about 80% in about a
minute.