hi jonathan,
i came across your website in search of a solution to my cricket problem. i have a finished basement and don’t know where to begin with treatment for this problem. i have had someone professional come out in the past to spray in/out of the house and it seems to control the prob for a while, but they seem to be coming back in force now. they are mostly in the bsement, which like i said is finished and has two bedrooms where children sleep.
do you know of any non-toxic non-chemical solution that can be used? i have a lot of children and that is why i didn’t call the spray guy back out as it freaks me out every time at the thought of them breathing in or coming in contact with whatever he uses. any help would be appreciated.
as i read the article, i don’t see any in the crawlspaces and can’t figure out where they are getting in really. some have managed to make it up to the main floor which is really freaking me out. i need help fast!!!…i live in new jersey and i notice now that the weather is getting cooler, the activity seems to be increasing. thanks in advance for your help. please reply…(nervous mom of 8 with severe insect phobia!!!! lol) if one more of these things jumps right at me, i’m moving!!!
No doubt that the cooler temps at night are driving these guys into your home. This is normal. The key is to make the area they want to live uninhabitable. If you don’t have any crawl spaces and the basement is finished, the most likely place they’re living is the space between the finished walls and the concrete walls of the foundation. There is usually a space behind the wall, at least the width of the studs that are holding the wall together, and this space may or may not be filled with insulation. Regardless, it’s a prime spot for them to nest.
So at this point I’d recommend doing most everything we have listed in our CAVE CRICKET CONTROL ARTICLE. On the outside of the home, you should spray some CONQUER. I’d especially focus on any mulch, deck or other shady area where they might be hiding. There most be a “hot spot” close to if not on the home where they’re focused. If you’re able to find this spot, you can no doubt kill any out there now which in turn will prevent more from migrating inside.
As for the inside area; I’d recommend some GLUE TRAPS set out in any of the rooms where you’re seeing crickets. These are non toxic and in fact not a pesticide at all. They’ll do a good job of collecting any that forage around and can be a good indicator of where problems are focused. This in turn will help you identify where you really need to treat.
I also recommend treating the wall space (inside the wall) with the DELTAMETHRIN DUST listed in our article. If you’re able to get each of these “compartments” treated, there will be little to no chance of them using this space as a nest site. Yes it will require a lot of dusting but if you want them gone, this must be done.
Use a HAND DUSTER to apply the dust and though you’re not wanting to treat where your kids will be, remember that in this case you’re actually treating the space behind the wall. If you do the treatment right there will be nothing in the living area so in fact there will be no risk or danger present to you or your family. Also, dust applications will remain active for 6 months or more so you don’t have to do this frequently. In my experience, a good dusting behind the walls can do wonders at solving this kind of problem and in fact, many times the dust alone can solve a problem for many years.
In summary, this approach will enable you to treat the problem properly without having to spray anything in the living spaces. The real key will be the wall space dusting. If you have a drop ceiling that will let you push up tiles so you can dust behind the wall from the top side by reaching over the wall, that would be ideal. Alternatively, drilling small holes in between each stud will be needed as a “port” to get the dust injected. These holes need only be small enough to fit the duster tip so they won’t be large. After the treatment they can be sealed up too.
Now if the wall is insulated, you’ll need to place holes in the bottom, middle and top of the wall to insure the dust flows uniformly throughout the space. But if the wall is not insulated, a hole up top is all you’ll need. Through the one hole you’ll be able to dust and with the help of gravity, the dust will filter down through the open space behind the wall covering so no holes will be needed in the middle or bottom sections but you’ll still get that vital area treated.
Give us a call if you need further help; our toll free is 1-800-877-7290. Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Cave Cricket Control Article: http://www.bugspray.com/articles98/camelcrickets.html
Conquer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/conquer-esfenvalerate
Cricket Traps: http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/pheromone-and-food/scorpion-insect-lizard-15-pk
Deltamethrin Dust: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/deltamethrin-dust
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
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