Latin: Acheta domestica
Among the grasshopper’s closely related family members is the house cricket with the Latin name Acheta domestica, which, like the grasshopper, is equipped with a pair of well-developed spring legs at the back of the body.
Appearance
The adult house cricket becomes about 15-20 millimeters long. Its color is a light yellow-brown color, while on the head and chest there are black markings. The house cricket also has a laying brood on the hind body.
The house cricket has two sets of wings. Only the rear set is used for flying. The top set of wings are the so-called cover wings. They have a special function. When the males rub the cover wings against each other, it produces a special song. A song that, among other things, should have an appealing effect on the house cricket females. The females have a long laying tube.
Biology and behavior
The house crickets are dependent on warm temperatures. They can easily stay outdoors during the warm summer months in Denmark, but in the winter, they must move to special outdoor locations that are heated. For instance, in a waste pile, where the fermentation in the waste causes a high temperature. However, the house cricket can cope with cold to a certain limit, such as a few hours at freezing temperatures.
As described, the males use their song, which is almost like of a chicken’s chirp, to enchant the females. Their mating is not limited to a specific time of year, so if the conditions allow, the house cricket can reproduce all year-round.
After mating, the female lays an average of about 100 eggs, which she lays in sandy, moist soil or similar protective places. It requires 7-13 nymph stages over 5-8 months before the house cricket has undergone the process from egg to adult. And at each stage, the nymph looks like a smaller version of the adult house cricket. The hatching time for the eggs is usually 2-3 weeks at optimal temperatures.
Temperatures play a major role in the development of nymphs. At a normal room temperature of about 20 ° C, the house cricket becomes sexually mature after about 10 months. At high temperatures of around 30 ° C the development takes less than half of this time and can be overcome in a few months.
A house cricket is not picky. It can feed on virtually any type of organic material. There are certain types of food it prefers, such as soft, decayed leaves and plant materials, but the house cricket can also make do with eating insects or feeding on tissue.
Damage
The house cricket is known to be able to cause damage to food. There are even examples of house cricket that have gnawed holes in textiles or paper, which they cannot live on.
However, one should not fear the appearance of house cricket, as all in all they are quite harmless and do not constitute a major damage. Some people find their song to be a major nuisance to night sleep, while others see it as a cozy addition to nature’s soundtrack.
Under normal circumstances, the house cricket will not do very well inside the house. Especially not in newer houses where the climate is dry. At the same time, they need a place to be able to lay their eggs, which the home can rarely accommodate. However, the house cricket may find itself placing its eggs in a corner or nook where moist sand or soil tends to accumulate, such as a utility room.
Prevention and pest control
The house cricket needs heat to thrive. This combined with its tendency to be nocturnal makes areas such as cracks and crevices near heating pipes, boilers, oil burners and the like ideal destinations for the house cricket. If you want to get rid of the house cricket, you should therefore turn your attention to such areas.
For the control of house cricket, you can use a standard insecticide, which can be bought over the counter. Areas that appear suspicious can also be treated with an insect powder or a spray against creeping and crawling insects. Please note, however, that not all insecticides are approved for use in areas where food is stored. Due to the high temperatures and good feeding opportunities around a landfill, such places can occur as epicenters for house crickets. If you live near one and experience being invaded by house crickets, it is a natural place to focus on.
"Pests in House and Home"
"Bed Bugs - Bites, Stings and Itches"
"Food Pests"
"Husets dyreliv" (Insects Around the House - Only danish)
"Skadedyr i træ" (Timber Pests - Only danish)
"Stuefluen" (Common Housefly - Only danish)