Understanding Cricket Problems in Homes and Businesses
Despite talk of high-tech pest control, the cricket control that works in 2025 is the basics: the steps University of Minnesota Extension recommends are to seal cracks and gaps, clear debris and tall grass from the foundation, cut back outdoor lighting, dry out damp areas and use sticky traps where crickets show up. The same extension guide describes crickets as a nuisance rather than a serious household pest, and notes that they rarely reproduce indoors in Minnesota. Saela Pest Control is a residential and commercial pest control company that provides the best cricket control for homes and businesses, with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Here is what to know about the crickets that come indoors and how to keep them out.
The three crickets most often found in homes are field crickets, house crickets and camel crickets. According to UMN Extension, field crickets are dark brown to black and about a half to three-quarters of an inch long, house crickets are light yellowish-brown with three dark bands behind the head, and camel crickets are tan, hump-backed and wingless. Crickets usually come indoors by accident, especially in late summer and fall.
Common reasons crickets end up indoors:
- Cracks and gaps around doors, ground-level windows and the foundation
- Bright outdoor lights that attract field and house crickets at night
- Damp basements and crawl spaces, which camel crickets favor
- Firewood, brush, debris and tall grass against the foundation that give crickets shelter
Are Crickets Harmful?
Crickets are mostly a nuisance indoors. UMN Extension says they are not considered a serious pest in homes, do not cause major damage to property and are usually just a nuisance. The main exceptions are chewed fabrics and chirping that keeps people awake.
Indoors, the problems they cause are modest:
- Chewing damage on fabrics: University of Maryland Extension notes damage can occur on wool, silk, nylon, rayon, cotton or linen
- Fabrics soiled with body oils, perspiration or food stains are much more likely to be chewed
- Chirping at night, since house and field crickets sing and camel crickets don’t
- Camel crickets in damp basements and crawl spaces, a sign that moisture needs attention
Because damage is usually minor, the goal is to keep crickets outside and fix the conditions that bring them in. If they keep returning in numbers, Saela’s cricket control service can help find the source.
How to Find Where Crickets Are Coming From
Finding crickets starts with simple monitoring, not special equipment. UMN Extension recommends placing sticky traps where crickets are found, and checking what the traps catch shows which areas, and which species, need attention. Set traps along walls in basements and garages and near doors, then check them every few days.
Places to check:
- Basements, crawl spaces and laundry areas, where camel crickets look for damp, dark spots
- Door thresholds and ground-level windows
- Foundation cracks and gaps where utility lines enter
- Outdoor lights, firewood and debris near the house
A professional inspection does the same work more thoroughly. Every Saela plan includes a 50+ point property inspection covering entry points, structural gaps and outdoor structures.
Integrated Pest Management for Crickets
Integrated pest management (IPM) is an approach that combines identification, prevention and targeted control, and it suits crickets because most problems trace back to entry points, moisture and lighting. Saela uses an IPM cycle of pest identification, activity monitoring, targeted treatment and evaluation, adjusting based on results.
For crickets, IPM means:
- Identifying the species, since camel crickets point to moisture and field crickets to lights and outdoor cover
- Monitoring with sticky traps to see where activity is concentrated
- Sealing entry points and reducing accessible food, water and shelter
- Using insecticides only where needed, following the label
- Checking results and adjusting the plan
This keeps treatment targeted and puts most of the effort into the conditions that let crickets in.
What Professional Cricket Control Looks Like
Professional cricket control combines exclusion, habitat changes and targeted exterior treatment where crickets keep getting in. UMN Extension notes that when an insecticide is needed, it should be one labeled for use outside homes, and a licensed provider should apply any product according to its label.
Key professional steps include:
- An inspection to find entry points and the conditions attracting crickets
- Sealing, or recommending repairs to, gaps around doors, windows and the foundation
- Targeted exterior treatment applied according to the label
- Follow-up checks to confirm activity has dropped
Saela’s pest-control protocols are developed by Dennis Weiss, who holds the Entomological Society of America’s Board Certified Entomologist credential, and he also trains Saela’s technicians and audits service quality.
Do High-Tech Cricket Tools Matter?
For most homes, high-tech tools add little. The extension guidance for crickets relies on caulk, yellow bulbs, dehumidifiers, sticky traps and a vacuum cleaner, and those simple tools address the reasons crickets come inside. Start with them before paying for anything more elaborate.
Low-tech tools that work:
- Sticky traps placed where crickets are found
- A vacuum cleaner, which UMD Extension calls one of the most effective and least toxic ways to remove crickets in the house
- Yellow outdoor bulbs instead of white, neon or mercury vapor lights
- A fan or dehumidifier for damp basements and crawl spaces
What matters most is consistency: checking traps, turning off unneeded lights at night and fixing moisture problems before crickets settle in.
Prevention Strategies for Residential and Commercial Properties
The most effective cricket prevention keeps them outside. Start at the foundation and work outward, because that is where crickets find shelter and gaps, and recheck each late summer, when crickets are most likely to wander in.
Recommended prevention steps:
- Caulk or repair cracks and gaps in the foundation and around doors and ground-level windows
- Dry out damp areas with a fan or dehumidifier
- Store clothing and fabrics clean, since soiled fabrics attract chewing
- Cut weeds and tall grass near the foundation, and trim groundcovers back at least 18 inches from the house
- Move firewood, brush, bricks and other debris away from the house
Regular inspections help catch new gaps before crickets become a recurring problem. For more ideas, see tips from cricket control services to prevent infestations.
Choosing the Right Pest Control Service
Choose a provider by comparing what’s included, not just the price. Look for a written plan that names the covered pests, the visit schedule, return-visit terms and any exclusions, and ask each company the same questions so the answers are comparable.
Questions to ask:
- Are crickets a covered pest, and how often are visits scheduled? Covered pests and visit frequency depend on the plan you choose
- Are there return visits between services? Saela offers no-charge return visits for covered pests between scheduled services
- How is the price set? Saela quotes based on pest type, location, property size, visit frequency and treatment products, and its pricing page explains how plans work
- Can you verify the company’s credentials? QualityPro’s directory lists Saela as an accredited company
- How long is the contract? Ask for the contract length and any cancellation terms in writing before you sign
Conclusion: Cricket Control That Works
Crickets are a seasonal nuisance that sealing, lighting changes, moisture control and traps usually handle, with professional help when they keep returning; Saela’s guide to cricket exterminators covers when to call. In a July 2020 Google review, Joseph O’Hara wrote that the technician “explained everything in great detail and was very thorough in his work.”
About Saela Pest Control
Saela began as Edge Pest Control in 2008, adopted the Saela name in 2022 and has completed more than 4 million services since 2008.
Saela’s Orem headquarters holds an A+ rating and BBB accreditation as of October 2026.
If crickets keep finding their way inside, book a call to schedule an inspection.
Who wrote this article?
Devin Hutchings (Marketing Director at Saela Pest Control) wrote this article.
Devin leads Saela’s marketing and growth strategy. He brings more than 15 years of marketing experience across Uber, C.R. England, Lugg, and Neighbor. His background spans customer acquisition, retention, and developing marketing channels for service businesses and consumer marketplaces.
