House Cricket
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http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2066.htmlThese crickets are nocturnal and live outdoors in warm weather. The males chirp to attract females. As it gets colder outside they find warm harborage areas in structures seeking moisture and escape from the cold weather. They feed on plants and other insects dead or alive and sometimes their own. Fabrics soiled with perspiration and food are a favorite item to damage. They eat out large areas of the material compared to small areas typical of moth damage. Most fabric damage from product pests is to materials containing some type of natural blend. However these crickets are just as destructive to synthetic materials. These insects can live their entire life indoors. An interesting note about this type of cricket is that they are often sold at pet stores as food for pets and can be brought into the house in this manner. Fabric damage is a rare occurrence compared to the number of crickets that enter a structure and are controlled a variety of ways.
Control starts by removing excess debris to minimize harborage sites. Check for excessive moisture areas then correct or minimize these conditions. Since they are attracted to lights both indoors and outdoors replace exterior white lights to yellow or sodium vapor lights so not as many are attracted close to the house or building. Check door thresholds and weather stripping to make sure these areas are not allowing entryways due to gaps or cracks.
One type of bait is in the form of a particle. The Niban products in particular work good because the particles are water resistant through up to 4 inches of water. This includes sprinkler cycles, rain, or heavy dew. The particle size is about the same size as a lot of the organic matter they typically feed on. It also controls other pests such as ants, roaches, and earwigs which can be found in the same general area. This is applied at the foundation perimeter of the structure, landscape areas, and yard areas. It could also be applied in warehouse or storage areas, behind large items, garages, out buildings, and sheds. These include
Niban Fine Granule Snuffer Applicator .4 oz btl,
Niban Insect Bait 1 lb. btl,
Niban Insect Bait 5 lb. Shaker Bag,
Niban Insect Bait 40 lb. Bag.
Other particle bait products include
Maxforce Fine Granular Insect Bait 10 oz. btl,
Maxforce Fine Granular Insect Bait 6 lb. btl,
Maxforce Granular Insect Bait 10 oz. btl,
Maxforce Granular Insect Bait 6 lb. btl,
Maxforce Granular Insect Bait 25 lb. btl. The best way to apply particle baits is with a
14 oz. Centrobulb Duster.
Aerosol control products include both residual and contact materials. Residual products leave behind material to remain active for a further length of time. Residual products include items such as
Cy- Kick Aerosol 17.5 oz. can,
Invader HPX 14 oz. can, and
D-Force HPX 14 oz. can. Contact products include items such as
PI 18 oz. can,
PT 565 Plus 20 oz. can,
CB 80 Extra 17oz.can. They kill on contact and leave no active material behind to keep on with control.
Liquid residual concentrates are mixed with water at label rates as needed. This method gets the treated area to a “neutral” condition where no insects are present. The drawback is that after 2 or 3 sprinkler cycles, a rain, or heavy dew the material is diluted to the point of ineffectiveness and nothing is there to provide continued control. These are products such as
Demand CS 8 oz. or
Demand CS 1 qt.,
Suspend SC 1 pt.,
Tempo SC 240 ml,
Tempo Ultra WP 420 gram btl,
Talstar Pro 1 pt. or
Talstar Pro ¾ gal,
Viper 4 oz.,
Demon WP 4-9.5 gram bags per pk,
Demon WP 1 lb. jar,
Demon EC 1 pt.,
Cy-Kick CS 1 pt. or
Cy-Kick CS 120 oz..
Viper RTU is a ready to use pre mixed product in a 1 gal. container with a handy sprayer attached to a 1-foot hose. These materials can be applied with a
1 gal. Poly Sprayer or a
2 gal. Poly Sprayer. For foundation perimeter application use a
Gilmour Hose End Sprayer Model 486 or a
Gilmour Hose End Sprayer Model 362.
Another control method is insecticide granules. These materials include
Talstar PL 25 lb bag and
Delta Gard 20 lb. bag. These products are applied with a hand spreader such as a
Handy Green 2 Hand Spreader. These materials work when applied and even better when watered in. They are applied at the foundation perimeter, landscape areas, and yard areas.
Applying insecticide dust in the void areas such as gaps, cracks, or holes in walls or other areas
is a good control measure. The weep holes could use an application as this would control pests entering through this area. These products include
Delta Dust 1 lb. btl,
Delta Dust 5 lb. btl,
Borid 1 lb. btl, or
Borid 5lb. btl. The insecticide dust is best applied with a
Crusader Hand Duster. The dust works by applying a light amount in the target area. The pests walk across it, pick it up on their body and ingests the dust as they groom themselves. The dust is a stomach poison and control is completed in this manner. If too big of a placement is applied they will avoid the area.
Copper mesh is a good product to fill the weep holes with. Since it is made of copper it won’t leave streaks down the foundation and the mesh is wide enough to allow adequate ventilation behind the bricks. This includes products such as
Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh 20 ft. roll,
Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh 20 ft. Precut, and
Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh 100 ft. Roll.
Glueboards are a good tool to use because they serve to control the insect, monitor for activity and if any is found observe the direction of the insect's travel. This will allow you to backtrack to find possible harborage areas or entryways. We carry
Catchmaster CM MB 72 72 ct box,
Catchmaster CM MB 72 8 ct pk, or
Trapper LTD 72 ct box.
Always read and follow label directions. For additional information call Do It Yourself Pest Control Supply at 972-562-9999, 903-891-8818, or 866-562-8999 for all your do it yourself pest control supplies.
