Crickets are a common outdoor nuisance, known for their persistent nighttime chirping and their ability to damage plants, fabrics, and paper products if they move indoors. While they are a natural part of the outdoor environment, high populations near a home can become problematic. Controlling crickets outside involves a multi-step approach, starting with modifying their habitat and then applying targeted solutions to reduce their numbers near the home’s perimeter.
Modifying the Outdoor Environment
The most sustainable approach to cricket control begins by removing the environmental factors that attract them. Crickets thrive in dark, sheltered, and moist areas, so eliminating these harborage sites is the first step. This includes regularly mowing the lawn, trimming dense ground cover, and moving woodpiles or debris at least twenty feet away from the foundation.
Reducing moisture accumulation is also necessary, as crickets are attracted to damp conditions. Ensure that gutters and downspouts direct rainwater away from the foundation and repair any leaky exterior faucets or irrigation heads. Crickets are also drawn to light, which they use for navigation at night. Switching exterior light fixtures from white or blue incandescent bulbs to yellow-hued sodium vapor lamps or low-Kelvin LED lights can reduce their attraction.
After managing the habitat, physically block entry points into the structure. Inspect the home’s perimeter and seal any cracks or gaps in the foundation using silicone caulk. Ensure that door sweeps are installed correctly and that all window and door screens are intact, creating a physical barrier that prevents crickets from moving indoors.
Applying Targeted Chemical Solutions
When non-lethal methods are insufficient, specific chemical agents can reduce outdoor cricket populations. These solutions are categorized as residual liquid sprays, insecticidal dusts, or granular baits, each having a different application method. Residual liquid sprays often contain synthetic pyrethroids, a class of insecticide engineered to mimic compounds found in chrysanthemum flowers.
Pyrethroids, such as bifenthrin, work by contact or ingestion, targeting the insect’s central nervous system. These chemicals disrupt the voltage-gated sodium channels in the nerve cells, preventing them from closing normally after firing. This causes continuous firing of electrical signals, leading to hyperexcitation, paralysis, and rapid death. Liquid formulations create a chemical barrier treatment, sprayed onto the foundation and soil up to ten feet out, remaining effective for up to 90 days.
Granular baits rely on ingestion rather than direct contact. These products are formulated with an attractant, like ground grains, and an active ingredient that acts as a stomach poison, such as boric acid or indoxacarb. When crickets ingest the bait, the active ingredient disrupts their metabolism, causing them to stop feeding and starve. Granular baits are broadcast across the yard or concentrated in known harborage areas, such as dense landscaping or under decks. Insecticidal dusts, like those containing deltamethrin, are applied to cracks and crevices, providing a long-lasting residual effect.
Utilizing Natural and Biological Controls
For those preferring alternatives to synthetic chemicals, natural substances and biological agents offer effective cricket control. Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is a naturally occurring powder made from the fossilized remains of microscopic aquatic organisms called diatoms. This substance kills crickets through a physical, non-chemical mechanism.
The powder’s microscopic edges are abrasive, cutting through the cricket’s waxy outer layer (epicuticle) upon contact. This action, combined with the material’s absorbent nature, causes the insect to lose internal moisture rapidly, leading to death by desiccation. For outdoor use, DE must remain dry to be effective, making it suitable for protected areas like covered porches or inside the voids of cinder block walls.
Another biological control involves beneficial nematodes, specifically the species Steinernema scapterisci. These microscopic, soil-dwelling roundworms act as parasites to crickets, particularly mole cricket nymphs and adults. When applied to moist soil, the infective juvenile nematodes seek out a host and enter the cricket’s body through natural openings.
Once inside, the nematode releases a symbiotic bacterium, which multiplies rapidly and causes septicemia, killing the cricket within a few days. The nematodes then reproduce inside the dead host, releasing a new generation of infective juveniles back into the soil. This method provides long-term control, as the population can persist and spread, though it is more effective in moist soil conditions. Simple molasses traps also offer an organic method, utilizing a sweet mixture of molasses and water in a container placed at ground level where crickets drown.
Safe Application and Disposal Protocols
Following safety protocols is necessary to protect people, pets, and the environment. Always read and follow the manufacturer’s label instructions completely, as this outlines the legal and safest use of the product. When applying any dust or liquid insecticide, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including long-sleeved shirts, long pants, gloves, and eye protection.
To minimize drift and environmental runoff, time applications to avoid windy conditions and heavy rain forecasts. Keep children and pets away from the treated area until sprays have dried or granules have been watered into the soil. Store unused pesticides in their original, tightly sealed containers in a locked area away from children, pets, and food. Empty liquid containers must be triple-rinsed before disposal, and surplus product must be taken to a hazardous waste collection facility.