Cricket Pest Control and Exterminators

Ahh… the peaceful sound of crickets. It’s a familiar soundtrack to warm summer nights across California’s northern central coast—evoking memories of sitting on the porch without a care in the world. But that peaceful feeling quickly fades when a cricket gets inside your home. The once soothing chirp becomes an incessant noise that could drive even the calmest of people to madness.

If you’ve ever found yourself desperately searching for a cricket in your home at 2 a.m., only for it to fall silent the moment you get close, you know how frustrating it can be. At 101 Exterminators, we’re here to help restore your peace and quiet.

Understanding Crickets

There are over 900 identified species of crickets, but the most common culprits that invade homes in Monterey County, Santa Cruz County, San Benito County, and Santa Clara County are field crickets. These crickets typically range from 0.6 to 1 inch in length and can be brown, black, or red. Their characteristic chirping sound, which is made by males rubbing their forelegs together, is meant to attract females. Unfortunately, when this happens inside your home, it’s far from romantic.

Cricket Behavior and Habitat

Crickets prefer to live outdoors, making their homes in the ground, tall grass, and weeds. They play an important role in the ecosystem by feeding on decaying plant matter and small insects. However, crickets often seek shelter indoors to escape predators or changes in weather, especially during colder months. Once inside, they can cause considerable problems.

Cricket Infestations: More Than Just Noise

While crickets are primarily a nuisance because of their constant chirping, they can also cause damage to household items. Crickets have a voracious appetite, capable of eating their body weight in food every day. If they can’t find plants or insects to feed on inside, they’ll turn to other materials, including:

  • Wool
  • Cotton
  • Nylon
  • Leather
  • Rubber

If you’ve ever found a favorite piece of clothing, carpet, or even leather shoes damaged, crickets may be to blame. They don’t discriminate and will feast on anything they can find—often without you realizing until the damage is done.

Common Cricket Species in Our Area

In the northern central coast, you’re most likely to encounter these types of crickets:

Field Crickets (Gryllus spp.)

  • Appearance: Brown, black, or red, about 0.6 to 1 inch long.
  • Behavior: Prefer to live outdoors but will seek refuge indoors to escape predators or changes in temperature.
  • Diet: Feed on decaying plant matter, small insects, and textiles like wool and cotton.

House Crickets (Acheta domesticus)

  • Appearance: Light brown with long antennae and about 3/4 inch long.
  • Behavior: Known for their loud, high-pitched chirping, house crickets often enter homes seeking warmth.
  • Diet: Will feed on a variety of materials, including fabrics, paper, and even plants.

Signs of a Cricket Infestation

While crickets are generally more annoying than harmful, having an infestation can still cause problems in your home. Here are some signs to look for:

  • Constant Chirping: The most obvious sign of crickets is their loud chirping, especially at night when the house is quiet.
  • Sightings: Spotting crickets inside your home, particularly in dark and damp areas like basements or garages.
  • Damaged Fabrics: Finding holes or chew marks in clothing, carpets, and other materials.
  • Cricket Droppings: Small, dark droppings in areas where crickets are active.

How 101 Exterminators Handles Cricket Infestations

At 101 Exterminators, we understand the unique behavior of crickets and offer targeted solutions to eliminate infestations and prevent them from returning.

1. Inspection

Our trained technicians will inspect your property to determine the source of the cricket infestation and identify the areas where crickets are entering your home. We’ll look for signs of crickets in:

  • Basements and crawl spaces
  • Garage and storage areas
  • Outdoor gardens and vegetation near your home

2. Customized Treatment Plan

Once we’ve identified the problem areas, we’ll develop a customized plan to eliminate crickets from your home.

  • Indoor Treatment: We use safe, effective treatments in areas where crickets are active, such as baseboards, closets, and under furniture.
  • Outdoor Treatment: Applying insecticide barriers around your home’s perimeter helps prevent crickets from entering. We also treat high-moisture areas like gardens, mulch beds, and around foundations where crickets may be hiding.

3. Prevention and Exclusion

To help prevent future infestations, we’ll provide recommendations to make your home less attractive to crickets:

  • Sealing Cracks and Gaps: Crickets can squeeze through tiny openings. Sealing cracks around windows, doors, and foundations will keep them out.
  • Reducing Moisture: Since crickets are attracted to moisture, fixing leaky pipes and improving ventilation in damp areas like basements can help deter them.
  • Yard Maintenance: Keeping your yard free of tall grass, weeds, and debris helps eliminate potential cricket habitats.

Why Choose 101 Exterminators for Cricket Control

  • Local Expertise: We specialize in the specific pest challenges faced by residents and businesses in the northern central coast, including crickets.
  • Safe, Effective Treatments: Our methods are designed to eliminate crickets quickly and effectively, without harming your family or pets.
  • Comprehensive Solutions: From inspection and elimination to prevention and maintenance, we provide complete cricket control for your home.
  • Experienced Technicians: Our team is trained to handle even the most stubborn cricket infestations using the latest techniques and tools.

While crickets may be a sign of peaceful summer nights outdoors, they have no place inside your home. Let 101 Exterminators help you eliminate cricket infestations and restore your peace and quiet. With our expert solutions, you can enjoy the sounds of nature—without them following you indoors.