Are Crickets Harmful?

Determining whether or not crickets are harmful really depends on what you define harmful to be.

There are three types of cricket commonly found in the United States: camel crickets, house crickets, and field crickets.

All of these crickets have a mouth, and they can bite, but honestly, it's rare. They generally prefer to hop away. And, just in case you're wondering, no, they're not circling around to attack you from behind.

Crickets have no interest in gnawing on your flesh. So, does that mean they're harmless? Not if you consider extreme mental duress harmless.

Crickets Could Be Annoying 

Some people consider the song of crickets to be charming and beautiful. Others would go so far as to say it has a soothing and relaxing effect.

But even those people melt down into a warm pool of senseless rage after three nights of cricket song echoing off the walls of their home. Or is it coming from inside the walls? It's like Chinese water torture.

I'm serious. At first, you're like, "this is kind of nice." But as the hours turn into days, you're ready to take a sledgehammer to those walls. They don't stop!

They go on and on and on and on, burrowing their way into your psyche with malevolent purpose. It's worse than your seven-year-old son practicing for his strings recital.

Are Crickets Dangerous or Harmful to Humans?

So my answer to this question is, yes, crickets are harmful.

After a weekend infestation, you'll need to see a shrink for months. And, who knows if you'll ever be the same again.

Okay. Maybe I'm exaggerating. But if you've ever had an infestation of crickets, you're nodding right now in agreement, aren't you? Three days of sleep deprivation stick with you.

Let's say you have crickets jumping around in your yard, and you've crunched them under your feet a few times. Is there a way to keep them from coming into your house? Thankfully, yes.

Why Do I Have Crickets in My House?

Crickets come close to your house to eat seed pods and plants. Field crickets are notorious for wreaking havoc on gardens.

They're not much better than locusts. Plus, if you have vegetation near your house, they will be close enough to get curious about what is inside.

Worried About Finding Crickets In Your Home?

Not only can crickets be really annoying but they can cause damage inside your home as well.

Field crickets are the kind that are most often found in homes. They range in size from about ⅛ to ½ of an inch and are usually black in color.

They move in when the weather starts cooling off, looking for a place to keep warm. They can damage rugs, furniture and clothing.

Another cricket that can be found in homes is the camel cricket, also known as the cave cricket. On the bright side, these crickets don’t chirp.

They can, however, do damage to cloth materials inside your home such as clothes.

These insects like it to be cool and damp so they are usually found outside under rocks, in mulch and in woodpiles.

Inside, they can be found in basements, drainage pipes and AC units. Unlike field crickets, who move inside to get out of the cold, camel crickets move inside to get out of the heat.

How Can I Keep Crickets Away From My Home?

This isn't too much of a problem if you have good screens on your windows and doors, and if your door sweeps are in good working order.

But you need to watch out when you're bringing groceries inside, or when you're holding the door open. Most often, crickets take this opportunity to hop in. 

Cats can also be a great defense against crickets, but if you've never heard a cat eating a cricket, you might want to, before considering this as a solution to your pest control needs.

If you want to keep your plants safe and reduce the population of crickets around your home, the very best way is to have a professional come in, assess, and treat your problem.

Don't take the chance of waking to the song of crickets at two in the morning. Protect your home, and sleep better.