HOUSE CRICKETS

They live outdoors, but may come inside in great numbers. Adults are 3/4-1 inch long, light yellowish-brown with 3 dark bands on the head. They will eat almost anything, will chew on damaged silk and woolens. House crickets are nocturnal, staying hidden during the day. They have a distinctive chirping sound. They can be found in warm places like kitchens, basements, fireplaces, also in cracks and crevices and behind baseboard.

House crickets will attack paper, damage silk, woolens, fruits, and vegetables all kinds of foods, and even rubber. However, unless large numbers occur, such damage is usually minor.

Crickets are rather closely related to cockroaches, so have a gradual metamorphosis. The young, or nymphs, look like adults, except that their wings and genitalia are not developed fully.

FIELD CRICKETS

Field crickets are widely distributed over the United States. This cricket is slightly longer than the House Cricket and is dark brown to Grey or black.

Field crickets prefer to live outside, feeding on plants, but will come inside if food sources dry up or there or unfavorable extremes in temperatures.

Field crickets are often attracted to lighted areas at night.
Thus, problems with crickets can be lessened by turning off these lights during periods when crickets are numerous, or at least manipulating lights so the crickets are less bothersome.

Otherwise, exclusion techniques should be applied to keep crickets from entering structures as much as possible.

CAMEL CRICKETS

Camel crickets are also known as hump-back crickets due to its' hump-back appearance. Camel crickets are light to dark brown, about 1/2 -1 1/2 inch long. Their diet is almost anything but camel crickets will feed on clothes. Camel Crickets are most often are found in crawl spaces and basements, but also like any cool and damp area like under logs or stones. Treat camel crickets as you would house crickets, but pay particular attention to crawl spaces and basements.

Camel crickets are light to dark brown, about 1/2 - 1 1/2 inch long. There diet is almost anything but will feed on clothes. Camel crickets are most often are found in crawl spaces and basements, but also like any cool and damp area like under logs or stones. Treat as you would the House Cricket, but pay particular attention to crawl spaces and basements.

MOLE CRICKETS

Adult mole crickets are plump, winged and 1 to 1.25 inches long.

Mole crickets are seldom seen, because, like moles, they stay underground most of the time.

Mole crickets fly and mate twice a year, spring and fall.

At this time you will find their exit holes of an inch or more.

Mole cricket nymphs are wingless but look like small adults.

The nymphs can become very numerous and cause great damage to your grass during the warm summer months.

Control methods aimed at eliminating mole cricket nymphs yield the best results, simply because they easier to kill than adults.

Those meandering surface ridges that suddenly appear on your lawn indicate the presence of mole crickets.
The next symptom is will be dead or damaged plants.
Two common mole cricket species attack plants - the Northern Mole Cricket and the Southern Mole Cricket.

Vegetable crops may be damaged by the mole crickets. Treatments for mole crickets usually include a thorough treatment of the infested area with a residual insecticide such as Talstar Liquid  or Talstar Granulars

Mole crickets are the number one pest of turf in southern Alabama and Georgia, throughout Florida, and are spreading quickly along the Gulf Coastal region and Eastern Seaboard.

Their damage appears as brown spongy areas within normal green grass.

Upon inspection you will notice the grass has been eaten just below the surface, separating the plant from its roots.

Mole crickets are especially fond of Bermuda and centipede grass, but have also been found in St. Augustine lawns in the Florida Panhandle and along the Alabama coast. Mole Cricket Adults and Nymphs Adult mole crickets are plump, winged and 1 to 1.25 inches long. They are seldom seen, because, like moles, they stay underground most of the time. They fly and mate twice a year, spring and fall. At this time you will find their exit holes of an inch or more.

RECOMMENDED MEASURES OF CONTROL : HOUSE, FIELD AND CAMEL CRICKETS