Cricket infestations are usually predictable as they become more prevalent in Houston in late summer and fall. They can be a big headache when they invade your Houston home. They can be annoying and make chirping sounds that make it hard to sleep, and hide, making them hard to find.
When you have a cricket infestation, the insects can survive indefinitely, giving you many sleepless nights. However, do not panic. Call Houston pest control professionals to address the problem if you hear cricket noise in your home.
How And Why Crickets Chirp
Only male crickets can produce the chirping sound, and they do so by rubbing two wings together. The male crickets raise the right wing slightly above the left wing, then rub the edge of the left wing, known as a scraper.
This produces vibrations which result in the chirp. Male crickets make the sound for three reasons:
- To attract a female cricket: They rub their wings together, producing intense, rhythmic, and loud sounds at night to help female crickets locate them.
- When about to fight another male cricket: When a cricket encounters another male cricket, they chirp aggressively to encourage its counterparts to go away.
- Threat: Crickets chirp when they feel threatened to scare away a predator and warn others of lurking danger.
The rhythm of the sound produced by male crickets varies with the reason. For instance, they produce a more intense and rhythmic sound to lure females. When in danger and about to fight, the chirping is aggressive.
Crickets In Your Home Can Be More Than Just Annoying
Most Houston residents consider crickets more annoying than dangerous. Cricket insect sound is a nuisance, mainly because they produce it from hidden locations making it hard to stop them. In addition to keeping you awake all night, crickets in Houston cause property damage.
They can chew on wool, silk, and cotton fabric when they find their way into your closet. In large numbers, they can cause extensive damage to your clothes and damage other fabric items in your home.
How And Why Crickets Find Their Way Into Your Home
Like most insects, crickets invade homes in search of water, food, and shelter. Crickets prefer to live outdoors during the warm summer months, and you will find them in garbage dumps. During this time, they enter homes in search of moisture.
They also enter houses in search of warmth and food. When inside, they hide in warm dark places.
Due to their small bodies, they can fit in cracks, crevices, and gaps in walls, floors, and foundations. They can also enter your Houston home through the doors, gaps in walls, and windows.
Heavy outdoor lights also attract crickets. To discourage their invasion, use less intense yellow outdoor lights, especially during an outbreak. To keep the pests outside, seal openings in the walls, floors, and windows.
Door sweeps can also prevent crickets from entering the house.
The Stress-Free Way To Get Rid Of Crickets In Your Home
Crickets can be stressful to remove from your Houston home. They stay in hidden spots you can spend many hours trying to find. Do-it-yourself cricket control can be challenging, and you need professionals if the critters wreak havoc in your home.
While not considered dangerous, crickets can be destructive and a significant nuisance.
Hiring professionals is the best way to get rid of crickets when the pests become annoying residents. All-Safe Pest & Termite pest control experts employ effective techniques to remove pests from your home. Their treatments will stop them from breeding in your home, controlling the infestation.