Although not poisonous or dangerous in any way, spider crickets are annoying pests and a nuisance you can do well without.
These innocuous yet repulsive creatures thrive in damp environments such as damp basements. They eat virtually just about anything. For instance, they can live off fungi in wet and dark ecosystems. They can eat wood, cardboard, carpet and each other.
Here are the different ways you can get rid of spider crickets.
Use duct tape to make sticky traps
It is easy to make sticky traps from duct tape. You can place cat food or something similar as bait for spider crickets. Just about any food will work. You will soon find that many spider crickets are falling quickly to this inexpensive and straightforward trap.
If you do not want to make these simple traps yourself, then you have the option of purchasing them online. Visit the website of your preferred online retailer and search for ‘mouse sticky traps.’ You can even buy these traps from home improvement stores.
To make things more interesting – and perhaps finding something useful in the process – you can try different bait. If you have kids, you can challenge them to find a bait that draws the most number of crickets in one week. What works better? Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms, or some other confectionery item? Depending on your parenting style, you can reward the winner or think of a fitting punishment for the loser.
This need not be a drab exercise. You can make the process of elimination crickets far more fun and even create a sense of responsibility in your kids by having them participate in your anti-cricket campaign.
Soapy water
The most straightforward solutions can often be beneficial. Fill up containers with soapy water and put them in your basement where a lot of crickets are likely lurking. Spider crickets find water irresistible and will jump into these containers only to drown.
If you are wondering if soap serves any useful purpose in this arrangement, then the short answer is yes. Soap counteracts waxy coating of the exoskeleton, so crickets drown more quickly.
Purchase an electronic rat trap
You can buy an electronic rat trap easily on Amazon. If you are worried that other methods take too long to kill spider crickets, then this method is your best choice since it brings instant death.
While buying an electronic rat trap, ensure that it works with moisture rather than infrared heat. Rat traps activated by infrared will not work because spider crickets are poikilotherms – surroundings strongly influence their internal body temperature since they cannot maintain thermal homeostasis.
If you are interested in knowing, electronic rat traps have enough current to fry a cricket so quickly that it explodes. You will find they go off with a distinct crackling sound. Being aware of the strong current in these traps, definitely exercise caution you would observe with other electrical devices that pass high current.
Also, take additional precautions. Do not set these traps near flammable items like open cans of paint solvent. Also, be sure that your basement does not have gas leaks; otherwise, there is the risk of an explosion and fire.
Use an airsoft gun
Another way of eliminating spider crickets – and improving your shooting skills in the process – is to use an airsoft gun to mow down these annoying pests. You will even get a distinct feeling of satisfaction as you take out your frustration.
As fun as it might seem, this mode of cricket slaughter has its fair share of drawbacks. Whether you hit or miss these repulsive critters, one thing is for sure – you must pick up the pellets if you want to keep your house tidy. If picking up pellets is not too appealing, then you can try biodegradable pellets.
Your biodegradable ammunition can turn into fuel for cricket growth because the surviving crickets will eat them, so perhaps this is not the best option. Rather than having your cricket hunting expedition backfire by driving cricket population growth, it is better to pick the pellets at the end of your fusillade.
To maximize the cricket genocide, you can hand over an airsoft gun to all members to your family and tell them to have a go at these vermin. You can even arrange a contest in which the winner – the one with the maximum kills – will be given a special treat or some other honor.
While you and your family members are at it, take necessary precautions with airsoft guns. Tell your relatives and the kids in particular about the safety measures associated with these airsoft weapons and ensure that they are following them. Here are some of these rules.
- Do not point the muzzle at anyone even for fun
- Point the barrel down always and raise it only when you intend to shoot crickets
- Never use these guns without eye and ear protection
- If you do not want to use the airsoft gun, detach the magazine and ensure that the gun is empty by firing it several times at the ground.
Use good quality BBs – cheap ones shatter on impact which is a hazard for others in the vicinity
Read manufacturer instructions for a full list of safety steps
Bug zapping rackets
If your family is not comfortable with using firearms, but still wants a fun activity, then bug zapping rackets are a good and safe alternative.
You can even use these tools to kill pesky house flies besides crickets. Using them is undoubtedly an enjoyable experience. When you lash out at flies with the bug zapping racket, you will hear definite pop, sizzling, and sparking sounds as you incinerate insects with the current. You can probably burn more calories with this method than by airsoft guns because you must chase crickets and take a swipe at them to do the job.
One useful hint is to avoid touching the wires since it zaps anything that impinges on the wire with high voltage that can go up to hundreds or even thousands of volts. It is not lethal since batteries power it, but the electric shocks can give second-degree burns if you are reckless with these devices.
Keep these devices out of the reach of children. If any relative has a heart condition due to which they will react poorly to electric shock or if they have a pacemaker, then you should not allow them to use this device.
Bug vacuum devices
Although not as fun as zapper rackets or airsoft guns, bug vacuums are reliable and useful devices for catching insects of all kinds. One of the most significant advantages is that these devices are safe for kids, so you can allow them to use these devices with no trepidation.
Bug vacuums are even suitable for catching insects hard to reach. They also reduce the workload plus the mess that must be cleared up if you kill insects the old fashioned way – by squishing them. Stamping on insects is easy, but cleaning up the aftermath is inconvenient and nauseating. But with bug vacuum devices, you will not have to face these issues.
You can leverage the long reach of these vacuums to get to otherwise inaccessible areas quickly. You can trap annoying bugs instantly and securely with these vacuum devices.
Besides catching spider crickets, you can use these bug vacuums to trap other insects like mosquitoes, flies, spiders, wasps, and cockroaches, among others.
One reason bug vacuums are so safe is that they do not involve the use of toxic chemicals to eliminate insects. These poisonous chemicals are potent neurotoxins that can have very damaging effects on the brain and nervous system if care is not taken while handling and applying them. Fortunately, you do not have to deal with these hazardous chemicals when using bug vacuums.
Buy a cat
Cats love hunting spider crickets and eating them. While you may not approve of their culinary taste, not only will this dietary choice reduce spider cricket population, it will also reduce the amount spent on cat food considering the abundant amounts of high-quality proteins your furry friend is consuming.
For cats, hunting and eating bugs is both intuitive and challenging since bugs are small and move around quickly – precisely the creatures that cats’ brains have been programmed to chase. This is not just limited to feral cats. Even domestic cats have an inherent tendency for predatory behavior. This instinct is often seen when they bring back creatures they have hunted back into the house where they live.
You may probably wonder if it is safe for cats to eat spider crickets. Can the cat get sick from consuming spider crickets? Will it bring any adverse health effects for the cat? What are the risks?
There is a small risk, but it comes from a somewhat unexpected direction. The danger that comes with ingesting insects is low. Insects can serve as a nutritious supplement for cats.
The risk of parasitic infection is a cause of concern greater than ingesting insects. Certain kinds of insects carry parasites such as stomach worms, which have the potential to infect cats if they are ingested. But you can take a sigh of relief considering that such parasitic infestations are few.
Most garden and household bugs pose no threats to cats. Devouring bugs comes naturally to felines, although it may make your stomach churn.
Some cats do have issues with hard exoskeleton the legs. If not chewed properly, these parts can cause gastric distress and cause your cat to throw up. But this won’t lead to any serious issues. It is, therefore, reasonable to find cats eating spider crickets while leaving out their legs, which can be hard and indigestible.
There are more serious health consequences for your cat if it gets bitten by insects like ticks, fleas, and other poisonous critters.
So you should not get alarmed or cringe if you see a cat munching on spider crickets. It is a treat that your feline friend much relishes. Pet parents mention that cats can devour plenty of spider crickets with no upset or disturbance. Pet parents often get crickets from pet stores so their bored or stressed felines can amuse themselves and chase them around blithely for fun.
Release chameleons in your basement
Perhaps you may not want a cat because they require a lot of care and can also be somewhat expensive to maintain. Here, chameleons are a better choice for you, provided that you are not put off by exotic reptiles. But whatever you do, remember never to release chameleons near cats since they hunt these reptiles with gusto. Hence, you must choose between chameleons and cats if you wish to introduce a predator for bringing down a spider cricket population in your home.
These pets will hunt and kill crickets in your basement. Keep a water source and heat lamp for them.
Use dehumidifiers
To avoid the cricket population from spiraling out of control, you must make sure that moisture levels in your house remains low. Hence, introduce a dehumidifier, so dampness levels stay under control. This will reduce the influx of spider crickets into your home.
Your home may be damp if the indoor environment feels clammy if a musty odor persists in humid weather. Your space may also be wet if you notice visible condensation on walls or ceilings.
If dampness persists despite fixing water leaks, then you should buy a dehumidifier.
Here is how to choose an optimally sized dehumidifier, which is sufficient for your needs.
First, determine the dimensions of your room with a tape measure. Discover the width and length of the room and multiply these two dimensions together to discover the area covered. This will show you the size of the dehumidifier that you require.
The capacity of dehumidifiers is given in pints. This is the quantity of water that a dehumidifier can remove from the living space in 24 hours.
A 30-pint dehumidifier will suffice for damp rooms with the area between 500 and 1,500 feet, while a 50-pint dehumidifier will be adequate for damp places between 2,000 and 2,500 square feet in size.
Trim your lawn
You should let no dense vegetation grow close to the walls of your home since it can attract spider crickets. Trim your lawn regularly.
Make sure that the vicinity of your home is free from garbage buildup because spider crickets thrive off the waste and rotten food. Keep garbage cans as far away from your property as possible and empty all your trash cans regularly.
Seal your home
Spider crickets find ways inside your home through crevices and cracks on walls and window sills. Seal these cracks to deny an entry point to these insects. Keep your doors and windows closed.
If the weather is too hot and you need to keep your window open, then make sure that window mosquito nets are correctly installed to prevent spider crickets and any other insects from encroaching on your property.
Sealing your home and keeping your living space adequately dehumidified is essential; otherwise, the spider crickets will keep coming back.
Pesticide
Start spider cricket control on the outside of your home. You can use FENVASTAR pesticides to spray this area. This low odor concentrate is soluble in water.
Spray under sheds, decks, doorways, around windows, and foundation walls. Spray on points of entry like electric cables, AC units, and others.
You can add 0.8 oz of this liquid to a gallon of water. One to two gallons of this solution is enough for most homes. Spray this liquid around once a month to keep spider crickets at bay.
For the inside of your home, you can apply Niban Fine Granular Insect Bait.