Are Crickets Harmful?



Determining whether or not crickets are harmful really depends on what you define harmful to be. There are three types of cricket commonly found in the United States: camel crickets, house crickets, and field crickets. All of these crickets have a mouth, and they can bite, but honestly, it's rare. They generally prefer to hop away. And, just in case you're wondering, no, they're not circling around to attack you from behind. Crickets have no interest in gnawing on your flesh. So, does that mean they're harmless? Not if you consider extreme mental duress harmless.

Some people consider the song of crickets to charming and beautiful. Others would go so far as to say it has a soothing and relaxing effect. But even those people melt down into a warm pool of senseless rage after three nights of cricket song echoing off the walls of their home. Or is it coming from inside the walls? It's like chinese water torture. I'm serious. At first you're like, "this is kind of nice." But as the hours turn into days, you're ready to take a sledgehammer to those walls. They don't stop! They go on and on and on and on, burrowing their way into your psyche with malevolent purpose. It's worse than your seven year old son practicing for his strings recital.

So my answer to this question is, yes, crickets are harmful. After a weekend infestation you'll need to see a shrink for months. And, who knows if you'll ever be the same again. Okay. Maybe I'm exaggerating. But if you've ever had an infestation of crickets, you're nodding right now in agreement, aren't you? Three days of sleep deprivation sticks with you.

Okay. Let's say you have crickets jumping around in your yard, and you've crunched them under your feet a few times. Is there a way to keep them from coming into your house? Thankfully, yes.

Crickets come close to your house to eat seed pods, and plants. Field crickets are notorious for wreaking havoc on gardens. They're not much better than locust. Plus, if you have vegetation near your house, they will be close enough to get curious about what is inside. This isn't too much of a problem if you have good screens on your windows and doors, and if your door sweeps are in good working order. But you need to watch out when you're bringing groceries inside, or when you're holding the door open. Most often, crickets take this opportunity to hop in. 

Cats can also be a great defense against crickets, but if you've never heard a cat eating a cricket, you might want to, before considering this as a solution to your pest control needs.

If you want to keep your plants safe, and reduce the population of crickets around your home, the very best way is to have a professional come in, assess, and treat your problem. Don't take the chance of waking to the song of crickets at two in the morning. Protect your home, and sleep better.

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