Crickets are a pest with an uncanny ability to frustrate and annoy us. They can cause problems at any time of year, but it seems to worsen in the fall when Missouri temperatures drop. They begin seeking a warm shelter to get away from that colder weather. Your home offers warmth, and a plentiful food supply, which can be a tempting lure. They easily get in through the tiniest of openings, and when they do, they are sure to have you singing the blues.

The Song Of The Cricket

So, let's talk about that singing for a moment, but they do a lot more than just sing. They can also do considerable damage to your home. But for many, that constant, annoying chirping of theirs gets our attention. Isn't it funny that "hearing crickets" has become a common metaphor for hearing silence, yet nothing could be less true about these pests? Their impromptu serenades happen at the most aggravating moments, often causing us to lose sleep. Perhaps the most frustrating part comes when you are on the hunt trying to find one. The chirping seems to be coming from right in front of you, but you can't find the little bugger.

It might surprise you that this singing, called stridulation, does not come from their vocal cords, nor does it come from rubbing their legs together (that's a grasshopper thing.) Instead, they produce the sound by rubbing a tiny little bump at the top of one wing, called a scraper, along the rippled surface of their other wing, called a file. Think of it as a small washboard in an old-fashioned country jug band. It is only done by the males, as this behavior is part of their mating ritual to attract females and warn other male rivals.

The Damage Crickets Do To Homes

The damage these pests cause is primarily the result of their eating habits. Like their locust cousins and other members of the Orthoptera family, their appetite is voracious. They love feasting on fabrics and leather goods, pet food, and even your houseplants. They can get into everything in your house, even your shoes. While the locusts' specialty is decimating crops and gardens, crickets can ruin your curtains, furniture, and clothing.

Another serious issue is biological waste. Their feces and urine can leave foul smells and ugly stains throughout your home and pose a danger to your health, as they are known to transmit parasites and diseases.

Crickets Common In Missouri

The most common species known to plague Missouri homes are field, house, ground, cave, and mole crickets. These insects behave similarly, so it doesn't matter which ones you've got, but the chirping sounds of the various species are a bit different. They also chirp faster when temperatures go up and slower when temperatures go down. They are not just a country cricket jug band; they are weather forecasters.

Cricket Control

Once crickets have infested your home, it isn't easy to get rid of them without professional help. These pests penetrate deep into the structures and furnishings of your home, and they do not respond well to over-the-counter pesticides. Your best course of action is to contact a professional exterminator to assist you.

In Springfield, Missouri, and the surrounding areas, you'll find none better than Pest Patrol. We are the leading local experts in cricket control, and we have the know-how to solve this noisy problem for you swiftly and efficiently. Contact us today.