How Does a Cricket Get Into Your Home?

Introduction

Crickets can be a nuisance in your home. With such a short life span, the insects often die while still inside the home, leaving behind unsightly carcasses. Whether they find their way to your basement or your living room, the sight of a large cricket can be frightening at first. By learning how these insects make their way into your home, you can take preventative measures to cut down on their presence.

Examine the home

Examine your home. Do a walk-through of all the rooms, including the basement and the often-forgotten corner of an attic or laundry room. Determine which rooms contain dead crickets. This will help you target which areas you will need to concentrate on when trying to eliminate the crickets.

Crickets can often enter the home through cracks in the foundation. Look in the basement for areas of loose foundation, cracks or exposed dirt. Check around cellar doors, in corners and under stairs. Repair these areas to avoid crickets.

Check windows and waterways.

Check window wells and the condition of the window glass. Cracked windows and loose window seals in any room of the home are an easy access point for crickets. If you use a window air conditioner, be sure the window is sealed around the unit. Crickets look for moisture and will be attracted to the waste water from the air conditioner unit.

Run water down all drains regularly. Remember to include basement drains, showers and sinks. Dry plumbing pipes create a path for crickets to come into your home. If you see crickets near an unused sink, dry plumbing is probably the reason.

Check plants and doorways.

Crickets can also enter your home on plants. If you regularly take plants from outside into your home, you may also be transporting crickets with the foliage. If you notice crickets near the plants, think about keeping the plants on a porch or in a heated garage until they are placed outside again.

Look around patio doors for cracks of light. If the seal around a sliding glass patio door is damaged, crickets may creep in. Check for tears in the panels of screened porches also.

Avoid leaving doors or windows propped open during the summer. Use screens on the windows and doors to help keep crickets from entering. Check all doors for tight seals and proper closure. If the garage is attached to the home, check the connecting doorway, door to the outside and garage door, too.