HOUSE CRICKETS

Identification, Facts, & Control

Latin Name

Acheta domestica

Appearance

Head is light colored with three dark bands

House Crickets

Like field crickets, the House Cricket usually lives outdoors. However, it differs in that it is also capable of living out its entire life cycle indoors. House crickets are about the same size as field crickets and also have well developed wings. They can be distinguished from field crickets by observing that the head is light colored with three dark crossbars (bands).

Outdoors, the house cricket produces only one generation per year. Eggs are laid in late summer and do not , hatch until late spring. Nymphs do not reach maturity until mid-to-late summer. Indoors, eggs are usually laid in dark cracks and crevices such as underneath refrigerators or other appliances. Left uncontrolled, house crickets will breed throughout the year indoors. Adults may be seen or heard chirping even during the winter months.

Persistent indoor or outdoor problems with house crickets tend to be associated with homes where standing trash is left unattended in the yard for extended periods of time. This provides an ideal breeding habitat for house crickets and serves as a source of continuing re-infestation problems.

Like field crickets, house cricket populations are subject to massive periodic outbreaks which can disrupt normal home life and community business activities. House crickets are also capable of eating out large holes in many types of fabrics. The holes are usually larger than the small ones associated with clothes moth infestation.

Click on a species of cricket below to learn further information.

House Cricket