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Tell us what you are seeing
Four questions, answered by a person within one business day. If it is urgent, call: the line is answered at any hour.
Crickets come in through gaps at the foundation and doors and stay where it is damp or warm. Dry it out, seal it up, and they stop showing up.
Which cricket is it?
Look for wings and listen. One chirps, one never makes a sound. Tap a cricket for its full profile.
- Size
- 1/2 to 1 1/4 in
- Look
- Humped, mottled, huge hind legs
- Wings
- None. Never chirps
- Lives
- Damp basements, crawl spaces, garages
- Size
- 3/4 to 7/8 in
- Look
- Light brown, three dark bands on the head
- Wings
- Yes. Males chirp at night
- Lives
- Warm, dry spots near heat
Figures: University of Maryland Extension, Crickets, University of Florida, Crickets (ENY-230).
Which cricket is it?
The first question is wings. Camel crickets never have them, so they never chirp. They are humpbacked, mottled tan and brown, with very long antennae and huge hind legs, and they live where it is damp. House crickets have full wings, a light yellowish-brown body with dark bands across the head, and the males chirp at night from warm hiding spots. The comparison above shows both. Tap either one for the full profile.
Camel cricket
Camel crickets, also called cave or spider crickets, are a moisture problem first. In homes across the eastern United States the most common one is now the greenhouse camel cricket, an Asian species that has largely replaced the native ones in basements. They come in at the sill, under doors, around basement windows and window wells, and where pipes and wires enter, and they stay because the air is damp.
Full profile: Camel cricket.
House cricket
House crickets are drawn to light and warmth. They walk in under doors and through gaps in the foundation in late summer and fall, then settle near furnaces, water heaters and appliances. Unlike field crickets, they can breed indoors year round, which is how a few chirping crickets become a steady problem.
Full profile: House cricket.
How Graduate handles crickets
We identify the cricket, then find the two things that matter: where they are getting in and why they are staying. For camel crickets that means the moisture source and the gaps at the foundation, sill, window wells and utility lines. For house crickets it means door gaps, lighting and the warm spots they are living in. We seal entry points with durable materials, add door sweeps where needed, recommend dehumidification, drainage or lighting changes, and place monitors to confirm the result. The sealing work is the same approach we use in our structural exclusion service.
Common questions
Why do I have so many crickets in the basement?
If they are humpbacked, wingless and jump when disturbed, they are camel crickets, and they are there for the moisture. Damp basements, crawl spaces and garages can hold large numbers year round.
How do I stop the chirping?
Find the cricket. Only male house and field crickets chirp, and they hide in warm spots behind the water heater, furnace, washer, dryer or refrigerator. Then close the gaps that let them in.
Will spraying get rid of them?
Only for a while. As long as the basement stays damp and the gaps stay open, new crickets keep walking in. Moisture control and sealing are what make it last.
Are crickets harmful?
They do not bite or spread disease. House crickets in numbers can chew fabrics and paper, and camel crickets leave droppings and dead bodies that smell where many collect.
When are crickets worst?
Late summer and fall, as nights cool and crickets move toward buildings. Camel crickets can be active indoors all year where a basement stays damp.
Does a dehumidifier help?
Yes, for camel crickets. Bringing basement humidity down makes the space far less livable for them and for the other moisture pests that come with it.
Cricket Control
Start with a free consultation
A consultation is a phone call with us about your problem. You tell us what you are seeing, where in the building, and how long it has been going on. We tell you what it most likely is, what is causing it, and what it will take to fix. Most routine work can be priced on that call.
There is no charge and no obligation. If we are not the right fit, we will say so before anyone books a visit.
Call (631) 212-9601Schedule an inspection
Answered at any hour.