One pest we deal with frequently in McKinney is the field cricket. While field crickets rarely bite humans, they can still be a problem pest. They will destroy crops and gardens, and their chirping will keep you awake at night, driving you crazy and ruining your peace and quiet.
Getting rid of crickets can be a challenge making pest control in McKinney critical. Big D Pest & Termite specializes in keeping your McKinney home safe from pests, including the field cricket.
Is There A Difference Between Field Crickets And Other Crickets?
There are many different types of cricketsin Texas. These species include the camel, ground, house, Jerusalem, and tree cricket. While there are some similarities among types of crickets, they are all separate species.
The field cricket is one species of cricket you will commonly find around McKinney and inside your McKinney home. Here are a few characteristics of the field cricket that will help you tell them apart from other species:
- They measure an inch in length
- Black, brown, or red in color
- Oval-shaped with a hard, glossy shell
- A set of wings and long legs coming from their back
- Female field crickets have a long appendage spiking from their back
Along with field crickets, house crickets are the other most common species you find in your home. The most significant difference between these two species is that the house cricket is green compared to the field cricket's black, brown, or red color.
While you may think a cricket is a cricket, that isn't true. Different cricket species pose other threats to your yard, garden, or crops. Knowing what species you are dealing with can help you identify the issues they may cause and what steps you can take to eliminate them.
Where Do Field Crickets Come From?
As their name would suggest, field crickets are mostly found outdoors in agricultural settings. But field crickets are also incredibly adaptable pests, and they will enter your home in search of food or shelter. They have been found all over Canada, Europe, the Americas, and Asia. They can easily adapt to hide in a variety of habitats. They prefer open land with easy access to crops that they can eat.
Field crickets in your home are likely to be female. They come inside during cooler months or to lay their eggs in a sheltered place in the springtime. They prefer dark, dry areas of your home like attics and laundry rooms. Male field crickets are less likely to come inside, although it does happen occasionally. Male field crickets prefer tall grasses or other crops where they can hide.
Do Field Crickets Make Noises Like Other Crickets?
What is the first thing you think of when you hear crickets chirping? If you are like most people, you think of their loud chirping noise. Field crickets are no different. Both male and female field crickets will chirp.
Male field crickets produce loud, clear songs that include three different notes. Female field crickets also chirp, but their song is only two notes; whether male or female, field cricket's chirping is related to the current temperature in the area, or they may be chirping to attract female crickets.
What Can I Do To Get Rid Of The Crickets In My Yard?
Despite how common crickets are throughout McKinney, there are things you can do to keep these pests under control and out of your home. Here are a few tips for cricket control in your yard and home:
- Reduce areas of moisture in and around your home.
- Keep your lawn mowed.
- Store firewood away from your home.
- Ensure your crawlspaces and attics are well-ventilated.
- Weed flower beds.
- Switch outdoor lighting to yellow bulbs or sodium vapor lamps.
- Seal points of entry around your home.
While these steps will help get rid of cricketsin your home and yard, there is no substitute for professional pest control.
At Big D Pest & Termite, our trained technicians are familiar with the crickets in our area. They know how to identify different species of crickets in McKinney and exactly what steps to take to eliminate a cricket infestation your home and yard. We can also design a home pest controlplan that will protect you from these pests, keeping them out of your yard and away from your home.