In some cultures, crickets are admired for their romantic love songs. For others, their chirruping is nice for a while, but then it becomes a nightmare. It can be maddening to hear that noise all night long when you’re trying to sleep, especially when it is loud, endless and merciless. And when you go searching for them to put an end to the unyielding agony, they go silent.
The worst case scenario is when you see one inside your house, under the couch or creeping over the wall. While they are harmless in small numbers, an army of crickets may pose a problem due to their tendency to chew. You might want to save your papers, silk, woolens, walls, and furniture from their assault.
Crickets are distantly related to grasshoppers and resemble them to a great extent. There are four common types of crickets:
- Mole crickets, which live underground and can damage your lawn.
- House crickets, which are yellow in color and hide in warm places.
- Camel crickets, which are brown, do not fly and live in dark and moist places.
- Field crickets, which are black and are attracted toward the light.
Here are a few easy and effective remedies to get rid of crickets in your home and garden.
Contents
Method 1: Molasses
Molasses is a dark brown and thick juice obtained as a byproduct in the sugar refining process. It is used as syrup in baking and to pour over food.
Crickets are attracted to the sweet smell of molasses. You can make a cricket trap out of molasses and drown them in the solution.
Single-Step Method: Make a trap with molasses and water
- Pour a few tablespoons of molasses into a jar or a shallow bowl full of water.
- Mix the solution well.
- Put this out in your garden or any place you think the crickets might be.
- Dispose of the contents when the trap is full of dead crickets.
Keep replacing the jar until you’ve cleared the infestation.
Method 2: Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a very safe and effective insect killer. It is harmless to humans but is poisonous to crickets. It is made out of fossilized marine phytoplankton, which is a type of algae. It is a talc-like powder that has deadly razor-sharp edges, so small they’re not visible to the naked eye. When sprinkled on arthropods and invertebrate animals, it causes cuts and scratches on their exoskeleton and desiccates them.
Single-Step Method: Sprinkle diatomaceous earth where you see crickets
- Dust some food-grade diatomaceous earth around your house or in the places you think the crickets might be.
- Do this in the evening or at night time, as crickets are nocturnal creatures.
- Diatomaceous earth is effective only when it is dry. If the powder you’ve spread around becomes wet for some reason, sprinkle some dry diatomaceous earth in that area.
Do this for 10 nights in a row to get rid of the crickets.
Method 3: Homemade Spray (Outdoor Spray)
Common kitchen spices can be used to make homemade bug sprays that are effective and non-toxic as well. You need a few chili items, such as peppers, hot spices or sauces. In this homemade spray, we used dry cayenne pepper.
The soapy water in this spray is a natural pesticide. The chemical components of the soap break down the crickets’ outer layer, leaving them dead.
Things you’ll need:
Items needed to make the homemade spray for crickets
- Cayenne pepper – 2 tablespoons
- Dishwashing liquid – a few drops
- Water – 1 cup
Step 1. Boil dry pepper mixed with water and strain it
- Pour 1 cup of water into a pan and boil.
- Add 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper to the water and mix well.
- Allow it to come to a boil.
- Remove the pan from the heat , and strain the water using a sieve into a separate jar.
- Let the solution cool down.
Step 2. Mix dishwashing liquid into the pepper water
- Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to the pepper water and mix it well.
- Transfer the solution into a reusable spray bottle.
Spray the solution in the areas infested with crickets around your house.
Caution:
- Use this solution only for your garden and porch area of the house.
- It will generally not damage your plants. To check that it’s a safe concentration, spray it on one or two leaves. If you notice any burns on the leaves, add a little more water.
Method 4: Boric Acid
Boric acid is one of the most effective methods of killing crickets or any insect that has an exoskeleton body structure. Similar to diatomaceous earth, it damages the exterior of the insects. It also disrupts the cricket’s stomach and affects their nervous system.
Single-Step Method: Sprinkle some boric acid around the infested area
- Sprinkle some boric acid around your house where you see the crickets.
- Dust it inside any holes in the walls or burrows you might find in your house and the garden respectively, as these insects like to hide in dark and moist places.
Do this every day for 1 to 2 weeks to get rid of the crickets.
Method 5: Glue Traps
The simplest and most cost-effective way to get rid of crickets in your home and garden is using sticky glue traps or glue boards. You can make your own with cardboard and duct tape, or buy them. The crickets will jump onto these glue boards and get stuck until they die.
Single-Step Method: Place the glue board with cornmeal bait near the infested area
- Simply place the glue traps in the cricket-infested areas.
- You can also put some cornmeal in the center of the glue board. The cornmeal attracts the crickets, trapping them on the board as they jump on it.
You will have to change the board once it is full with stuck crickets. Do this until you see no more crickets. This method is also helpful to get rid of mice at home.
Tips
- Clean your house frequently and do not let debris collect in drains or other areas like the rooftop.
- Seal cracks and holes where crickets, ants, and cockroaches can easily sneak in.
- Ensure that there are no leaks in your house.
- Hire a pest control professional if no household products are helping with the infestation.
- Allowing predatory animals like lizards and spiders, which thrive on crickets, can keep the cricket population in check.
- You can install a bird feeder in your garden area to make it more bird-friendly. Some of these birds like bluebirds also feed on crickets, which will keep the cricket infestation in check.
- Crickets are fascinated by bright lights. Leave the porch light off when you’re battling a cricket infestation.