Crickets

Crickets can be quite a nuisance when they get indoors, especially if their loud chirping at night disrupts sleep. While crickets don’t pose any direct harm to humans, they can cause damage to fabrics, paper products, and other materials in the home.

Common pest species found in New York:

House Cricket

Acheta domesticus

House crickets are most known for their loud, high-pitched chirping at night.

They’re attracted to light and warmth, and enter homes through open doors, windows, and other gaps. Once inside, they congregate in warm areas like kitchens, heaters, closets, and in upholstered furniture.

House crickets usually feed on fabrics, chewing holes and leaving stains (from their droppings) on clothes and furniture.

House Cricket

Size: 5/8–7/8 inch long (16–21 mm); about the length of a penny

Color: Pale, yellowish-brown with dark markings

Shape: Long, oval-shaped body with thread-like antennae, 6 legs (the hind pair is extra long), and 2 pairs of wings

Legs: 6 legs; hind legs are particularly long with thick, drumstick-like femora

Antennae: Thin, thread-like antennae that are typically longer than its body

Head: Look for 3 dark bands running across the top of its head

Body: Long, segmented abdomen with variable dark brown markings and 2 long, horn-like appendages (cerci) protruding from the rear; females also have a sword-like appendage (ovipositor) extending backwards from the rear

Wings: Long, pointed wings that cover its back (only in adult crickets); male crickets chirp by rubbing the edges of their forewings together

Spider Crickets / Camel Crickets

Multiple species (Rhaphidophoridae spp.)

Unlike house crickets, spider crickets don’t chirp. They like dark, damp, and cool environments, and occasionally enter homes and buildings in search of shelter.

They’re mostly found in damp basements and areas with moisture or humidity issues, such as bathrooms and laundry rooms.

Spider crickets mainly feed on fungus, decaying plant and animal matter, and other insects. They sometimes also chew on stored paper and fabrics.

Spider Cricket

Size: 1/2–1 1/2 inches long (13–33 mm); up to the length of a paperclip

Color: Light to dark brown

Shape: Humpbacked, wingless body with thread-like antennae, 6 spider-like legs (the hind pair is extra long),

Legs: 6 long, thin legs with light or dark colored bands; knee joints point upwards like a spider; hind legs are extra long with thick femora

Antennae: Thin, thread-like antennae that are typically longer than its body

Body: Look for an arched, camel-like hump on its mottled abdomen; 2 long, horn-like appendages (cerci) protruding from the rear; females also have a sword-like appendage (ovipositor) extending backwards from the rear

Wings: Wingless and unable to chirp