Extreme temperature changes are a cricket’s cue to leave the tall grass in favor of something more controlled, like your basement or crawl space. Why not pick up some terrific tips for cave cricket traps to help you out this season?
The names camel cricket, cave cricket, greenhouse camel cricket, Asian camel cricket, and spider cricket all refer to the same species of field cricket called Diestrammena asynamora; they’re generally harmless yet somehow still horrifying. Spider crickets get their charming name from their incredibly long legs, which they use as a defense mechanism to leap at and startle predators.
The house cricket, or mole cricket, lives all over North America, primarily east of the Rocky Mountains. House crickets are considered a true cricket because they’re nocturnal, make noise, and eat fabric, wood, and carpets. Although house crickets differ from field crickets in looks, diet, and behavior, they’re both unwelcome, so let’s talk traps.
Discover How to Trap Cave Crickets
It’s time to discuss options and effective cricket-catching strategies for your home. Save a bit of cash with these excellent home remedies for trapping cave crickets and getting rid of pests. Sleep easier this season, knowing you’ve got it covered with practical DIY solutions.
Fight Cave Crickets with Your Vacuum
Sometimes the most effective cave cricket trap is the simplest. If you spot cave cricket activity inside, run the vacuum before it becomes a full-blown camel cricket infestation. Get your trusty vacuum out, all the better if you have access to a Shop-Vac, and get ready to go on a cricket hunting adventure.
Put your game face on because it’s time to tackle those dark, damp corners of the basement. Look for signs of carpet damage, cricket feces, or egg sacks. Vacuum everything you can, and empty the canister far away from your home. Wash all cricket-infested areas with hot soapy water, and watch for further activity.
How to Make a DIY Cave Cricket Trap
If you prefer a live and let live approach to pest control, this trap is for you. There’s no kill-on-contact poison or long-lasting chemical residue here, just a good old-fashioned DIY cave cricket trap. The materials and construction are easy enough for even the least crafty of us to master.
Get a plastic soda bottle, cut it where the bottle is thickest (near the middle) and then invert the top of the bottle to form a funnel into the bottom. Seal the two pieces together in the middle with some sturdy tape, such as duct tape.
Who doesn’t enjoy sugar and carbohydrates? Crickets are certainly no exception, and they’ll flock from inside their hiding places to enjoy a bite of this bait. Fill the bottom of your trap with granulated (white) sugar and bread crumbs.
Place the soda bottle trap indoors near an entry point or other known hot spot. Come back in 24 hours and empty this DIY trap far from your house.
Break Out the Boric Acid for Cave Cricket Traps
If catching crickets isn’t your thing, try a bit of boric acid and bait. When used with a common pesticide like boric acid, the cricket bait becomes toxic and provides exceptionally effective cricket control. Many pest control professionals agree that sugar, carbohydrates, and boric acid are the best bait for a cave cricket trap.
Boric acid is easily obtained at most hardware or big-box stores and is available in powder, tablet, and pellet form to suit your needs. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for safe use. While boric acid demonstrates very low toxicity in mammals, it’s still essential to use caution around pets and children.
Try the Catchmaster Cricket XL
For you “set it and forget it” pest control enthusiasts, we recommend checking out the Catchmaster Cricket XL. This trap is a giant cricket trap and boasts over 55 square inches of cricket catching space.
These sticky traps are non-toxic and last up to a year under average conditions. The Catchmaster Cricket XL is ready to use and goes wherever you need. Leave these sticky traps at entry points, in the basement, or at the back of the pantry to finally catch that pesky pantry moth.
Make Your Own Sticky Trap for Crickets
Who needs traditional cricket glue traps when making a version with molasses and a glass jar is possible? Everyone has an old spaghetti sauce jar or something similar taking up space in the kitchen. It’s time to repurpose that jar into something useful, like a DIY cave cricket trap.
This sticky molasses trap takes seconds to throw together, and unlike other glue traps, the water provides a way to kill the camelback crickets quickly and without prolonged suffering. A little extra protection during drastic weather changes is a great idea; leave these homemade cave cricket traps outside your home for a security boost.
How to Make a DIY Insecticide Spray for Cave Crickets
Learning how to trap cave crickets is helpful, but what if you’re looking for something more substantial? Here’s a fabulous homemade insecticide recipe that is inexpensive and easy to produce. This spray works against your cricket infestation and many other pests, even the odd bed bug.
Mix the boric acid powder and water in a clean, repurposed spray bottle to make your DIY boric acid spray. When you see cave crickets congregating, spray them generously. The boric acid may not work on the crickets immediately but come back in a couple of hours with the vacuum to see results.
Call the Cricket Killing Professionals
Learning how to trap cave crickets isn’t for the faint of heart. Try the professionals if you’re not keen on improvising an insect trap or cleaning up cricket corpses. Your neighborhood pest control people are an excellent resource if you’re feeling overwhelmed at the possibility of having to play exterminator this season.
Many pest control companies now employ low and non-toxic pest control options for those concerned about chemical residue, and it’s certainly worth inquiring about seasonal discounts and volume discounts.
We hope you liked this article about cave cricket traps and effective pest control strategies. While crickets are essential in many terrestrial food chains, they don’t belong in your house. Take what measures you need to preserve your indoor space and keep it separate from the cricket’s outdoor environment.
Prevention matters when it comes to cave crickets or pests of any kind, and we recommend a quarterly home inspection of your property to ensure everything is tip top. Do a once-over of your home and note any preventative maintenance required. Are there any cracks or crevices that need sealing, or maybe some torn window screens?
A cave cricket is a nocturnal insect that makes noises at night; if you can’t see them, keep an ear open for activity if you suspect crickets are freeloading in your crawl space. Stay vigilant and pest-free.
If you enjoyed learning how to make effective cave cricket traps, share this article with friends on Pinterest or Facebook who want to kick crickets to the curb.