The sound of crickets chirping can be a soothing aspect of a natural soundtrack, and many people enjoy their occasional song. However, if you have ever experienced a cricket (or many crickets) living in your home, you know why they send residents searching for pest control in Anaheim!
A chirp here or there is nice, but the incessant noise inside your home can drive you to distraction. Not only that, but crickets in your home will feed on a variety of belongings and become a nuisance. Here's what Anaheim residents need to know about these vocal insects and keeping them out of area homes and businesses.
How Do Crickets Get Into The House?
Bright exterior lights can often draw crickets toward your property. The prospect of excess moisture and climate control is also attractive to these invading insects. If you have crickets in the basement, there's a good chance they made their way inside through poorly sealed doors or windows, gaps in your foundation, or around utility lines. Occasionally they can be brought inside on potted plants or other items that come inside from the yard. If you have unscreened doors and windows, crickets are likely to make themselves at home.
Can Crickets Climb Walls?
Crickets cannot only jump to incredible heights, but they are also some of the best climbers of the insect world. They can easily climb walls and vertical surfaces. It's not that they have suction cups on their feet, as you might see in cartoons, but they do have tiny bristles or hairs on their feet. While walls and other surfaces may look completely flat, they actually have microscopic bumps and fissures that crickets can use as footholds for these hairs. In addition, crickets have sticky pads that secrete an oily substance to help their hairs stick to even the flattest of climbing surfaces, such as glass.
Are Crickets Poisonous To Dogs?
Have you ever seen a bug in a lollipop from a joke shop? A lot of the time, these bugs are crickets. There are a variety of insects that are safe to eat, and they are even a common food source in many parts of the world. Crickets are one of these animals. They are safe for people to eat, and they are safe for dogs to eat as well.
Watching a dog try to eat a cricket or grasshopper may not be pleasant, but the experience will not harm the dog. These insects aren't poisonous and haven't even been shown to have allergens that affect dogs. Crickets can even be used as a source of protein, though it would likely take more than you or your dog could possibly catch.
How Can I Get Rid Of The Crickets Making A Home In My Basement?
How to keep crickets out of your house has a much easier answer than how to get rid of crickets. You can prevent crickets from coming inside in the first place with a few easy steps:
- Keep your lawn mowed and avoid tall grass and weeds near your home.
- Minimize outdoor lighting or replace bright lights with yellow bulbs or sodium vapor lights to avoid attracting crickets.
- Seal gaps and cracks around your foundation, windows, and doors.
- Install weatherstripping and door sweeps to keep crickets out.
- Eliminate excess moisture by fixing leaks and maintaining drainage.
- Ensure proper ventilation in crawl spaces and basements and use dehumidifiers where necessary.
- Clean up cluttered areas that crickets may use to hide.
- Move wood piles and other organic debris away from your exterior walls.
These tips can help keep crickets outside your home so that you can sleep peacefully through the night without their chirps blasting you awake at random intervals. However, if crickets are already inside you may have limited options for getting them out.
One thing you can do to remove crickets in your home is to vacuum regularly. This can remove some of the crickets as well as the eggs they are leaving behind. Cutting down on the cricket infestation this way can be helpful, but it may not be enough. If you need help with home pest control in Anaheim, the professionals at A-1 Bonded Termite are here to help. Not only can we remove crickets and other pests from your home or business, but we can also help you set up a plan to prevent them from coming back. Call or connect with us online today to request your free no-obligation inspection!