Why Cricket Activity Peaks in September
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension notes that field cricket numbers in Texas often peak in August and September. Particularly noticeable outbreaks have been associated with dry spring and summer conditions followed by rainfall and cooler weather.
As large numbers mature, adult field crickets can take part in nighttime mating flights, making their presence around homes and other buildings much more noticeable.
That doesn't mean every September will bring unusually high cricket numbers. Weather conditions and local populations vary from year to year, so one fall can be considerably quieter than another.
Why Crickets Gather Around Homes
One of the biggest reasons field crickets become so noticeable around homes is light. Adults fly at night and are attracted to brightly illuminated areas. Porch lights, garage lights, security lighting, and light shining through doors and windows can draw them toward a house after dark.
Crickets can also shelter in vegetation, mulch, leaf litter, and other protected areas around a property during the day.
That's why you may see relatively few crickets during the afternoon but encounter several around the garage, driveway, or front entry later that evening.
How Field Crickets Get Indoors
Finding a field cricket indoors doesn't necessarily mean crickets are breeding somewhere inside the house.
Field crickets primarily live outdoors. During periods of increased activity, they can accidentally enter homes through open doors and other accessible openings.
Garages are particularly easy places for them to turn up. A garage door creates a large opening when it's raised, and exterior lighting can bring crickets into the immediate area after dark. From there, an occasional cricket can wander farther inside.
Other possible entry points include:
- Gaps beneath exterior doors
- Worn weatherstripping
- Openings around utility penetrations
- Damaged screens
- Gaps around windows and doors
A cricket or two indoors during a period of heavy outdoor activity is different from repeatedly finding crickets throughout the house. Frequent sightings are worth a closer look at where they're entering and what's happening around the exterior.
Are Field Crickets Harmful?
For homeowners, field crickets are generally considered nuisance pests rather than a significant threat to the home.
Male crickets can also be noisy, especially when one finds its way into a garage or home.
Large numbers of insects around entryways can be frustrating, but seeing field crickets around the exterior of a home in September doesn't necessarily indicate a serious pest problem.
The more useful question is whether they're staying outside or regularly finding their way indoors.
Ways to Make Your Home Less Attractive to Crickets
Because September field cricket activity starts outdoors, a few changes around the exterior can help reduce the number gathering immediately next to your home.
Consider:
- Turning off unnecessary exterior lights when they aren't needed
- Checking door sweeps and weatherstripping for obvious gaps
- Repairing damaged window or door screens
- Keeping leaves and other organic debris from collecting against the foundation
- Trimming dense vegetation away from the exterior of the house
These steps won't eliminate crickets from the surrounding environment. During an active year, crickets can still be abundant throughout the area.
The idea is to reduce conditions that bring them close to the house and make it easier for them to get inside.
When Crickets Keep Getting Inside
If you're regularly finding crickets indoors, dealing with individual crickets as you see them doesn't address the activity occurring around the exterior of the house.
Marathon Pest Control's Basic Pest Control Plan includes crickets along with other common household pests such as ants, cockroaches, spiders, centipedes, earwigs, millipedes, and silverfish.
Service begins with an inspection and initial treatment to address existing pest activity. Quarterly exterior treatments then provide ongoing pest control around the home, with interior treatment available when needed or requested.
Because pest activity varies throughout the year, ongoing service provides homeowners with a consistent plan as different covered pests become active.
Cricket Control in The Woodlands and Surrounding Communities
Crickets can become especially noticeable in September throughout communities such as The Woodlands, Magnolia, and Conroe.
A few crickets outdoors are a normal part of seasonal insect activity. When crickets repeatedly make their way inside, however, it may be time to address the activity around your home.
Marathon Pest Control provides residential pest control throughout The Woodlands and surrounding communities. Contact Marathon Pest Control today to request a free quote for protection against crickets and other pests.
