Common House Cricket
Size: Adult length, 3/4-1 inch
Range: Worldwide. Avoids colder climates
Habitat: House crickets live outdoors under rocks, logs, in root balls of trees, under sidewalks, and deep cracks in the soil. They may move indoors when it gets too hot or too cold and also to find moisture.
Life Span: The nymphs undergo seven to eight molts and complete development in 53-60 days.
Interesting facts: Some people object to crickets presence and the chirping noise produced by males as they rub their wings together. Male crickets will find a corner to sing their song which will resonate through a room or outside for great distances. Crickets will quit their song when you get close to their hiding place.
· Anatomy: House crickets are about 3/4- to an inch long and yellow-brown or straw-colored with three dark bands across the top of the head. The house cricket has long, slender antennae that are much longer than the body. The wings on adult crickets lay flat on the back and are bent down on the sides. Adult female crickets have a long slender, tube-like structure (ovipositor) projecting from their abdomen which they use to lay eggs. Both males and females have to antenna-like structures (called cerci) that are attached to the sides of the tips of the abdomen. Nymphs look like the adults but are smaller with less developed wings.
· Feeding Behavior: House Crickets are voracious feeders. They will eat almost anything including paper, cardboard, any human type food, dog food, just to name a few. House crickets damage clothing and other fabrics including synthetics. They eat large holes in fabric as opposed to smaller holes caused by common fabric pests.
· Activity Period: Crickets are active at night, hiding in dark warm places during the day. They are attracted to lights, often by the thousands.
· Defense: They are very good at hiding in dark cracks and crevices.
· Reproduction: Outdoors, female house crickets lay an average of 700 eggs in protected areas. House crickets in the wild have only one generation per year. The east valley however, isn't cold enough to kill off crickets in the winter, so they become a year round problem. House crickets can complete their life cycle indoors and live indefinitely in homes or other structures.
·Control: Regular pest control maintenance will eliminate most cricket infestations.
