Are Virginia Crickets Dangerous?

Dangerous can mean so many things. Sure, you would be hard pressed to get a cricket to bite you. And, if it did, it doesn't have a poison to inject you with--at least not in the United States. But that doesn't mean these nasty little things are harmless. Oh! Far from it! What they lack in direct physical violence, they more than make up for in psychological trauma.

Have you ever been lying on top of your sheet, on a warm summer night, with the fan barely able to keep up with the rising heat of your body, and had a hard crunchy insect tuck itself between your sweaty side, and the bed? Let me tell you something. Your life can be complete without this experience.

Crickets have no sense of etiquette whatsoever. They leap around without any consideration for your rules, or comfort level. And, forget about trying to teach them anything about personal space or boundaries. They're like the worst guests ever. They get into the food without asking, and they play their music till all hours of the night. It's like they own the place.

But this isn't enough for the cricket. It has to wait quietly behind a corner, or just at the bottom of the stairs, in just the right spot to squish itself, quite rudely, under your foot. The sound of its crunching body is a thing of nightmares. It makes your belly flip just thinking about it. Doesn't it?

So, are crickets dangerous? No. And yes! It really depends on how tolerant you are to flippity, floppity, crunchy, sing songy, home wreckers. It also depends on whether or not you're talking about humans. Crickets are very dangerous to house plants, rugs, curtains, clothes, and other cloth type stuff. If you get a cricket invasion, you're in for some serious destruction. They're like locusts.

How do I get rid of crickets?

If you have only a couple unwanted guests, you can use a clear glass and a piece of paper to get the crickets out. Lower the glass straight down onto each cricket, in a slow, even motion. Once you have the glass on him, slide the piece of paper underneath, trapping the cricket inside the glass. Bring it to the door or window, and let him fly away.

If you have more than a few crickets, it is best to get a professional to come in and suggest treatment options. Do it yourself pest removal for crickets can drive them deeper into their hiding places, and create even more of a nightmare for you if they have babies in your wall voids.

Pest proofing around the outside of your home is the best way to keep crickets from getting inside in the first place. With a limited application of pesticide to the exterior of your apartment or house, you'll deter crickets from exploring for cracks. But just in case, make sure all your screens are in good working order and examine your door stops and weather stripping.

Don't let the crickets take advantage of your hospitality. Force them to stay outside, in the tall grass, where they belong.