Crickets aren’t dangerous, but they’re one of the most common calls in the Valley during late summer and fall, especially after monsoon season, when large numbers can show up around a home almost overnight. Beyond the noise, crickets matter because they’re a food source that draws in bigger problems, like spiders and scorpions.

What kind of crickets are in the Phoenix area?

The field cricket is the one homeowners see most, a dark brown to black cricket about an inch long that’s drawn to light at night. They’re the ones you’ll find clustered around porch lights, garage doors left open in the evening, and windows lit up after dark.

Camel crickets show up too, especially in cooler, damp areas like garages or under patio furniture. They’re lighter colored, humpbacked, and don’t chirp, which throws people off since they don’t look or sound like what most people picture when they hear “cricket.”

Signs you have a cricket problem

• Large numbers of crickets gathering near porch lights, garage doors, or windows at night
• Chirping that’s loud or constant, usually a sign of a bigger population nearby rather than just a few strays
• Crickets found inside near doors, baseboards, or laundry rooms, especially after monsoon rains push them to seek shelter
• Chewed fabric or paper, since crickets will occasionally feed on natural fibers if they get inside and stick around

A few crickets after a rainstorm is normal for this climate. A repeated pattern of them gathering at the same entry points, or finding them regularly inside, points to a bigger population close to the house.

Are crickets dangerous?

No. Crickets don’t bite, sting, or carry disease, and they’re not a threat to people or pets. The real issue with crickets is what they attract. A yard with a heavy cricket population is essentially setting a dinner table for spiders and scorpions, both of which feed on crickets and other small insects. Getting cricket numbers under control is one of the more effective ways to reduce spider and scorpion activity around a home without treating for those pests directly.

Why do I have so many crickets all of a sudden?

Crickets are drawn to light, moisture, and thick vegetation, all things that increase sharply after monsoon season in the Valley. Outdoor lighting left on overnight is one of the biggest factors, since it draws crickets in from a wide area and keeps them clustered right at your entry points. Irrigation, mulch beds, and dense landscaping also give them the damp, sheltered conditions they’re looking for during the day.

How Trellis handles crickets

Cricket control is part of the same yard, fenceline, and perimeter approach we use for every general pest, our Triple Lock Protection System. We treat the yard where crickets are breeding and sheltering, build a barrier along the fenceline to cut down on new crickets moving in from neighboring properties, and treat the perimeter of the home so the ones drawn to your lights and windows don’t make it inside.

Because reducing crickets also reduces the food source for spiders and scorpions, this is one of the pests where staying ahead of it genuinely pays off across the rest of your pest coverage too.

Cricket control is included in every general pest membership at no extra charge, and it’s covered under your regular bi-monthly service.

How much does cricket control cost?

Cricket control is included in our general pest service, no separate specialty charge. Pricing is based on home size, the same as the rest of general pest coverage, and it’s handled during the same bi-monthly visits as everything else.

Can I get rid of crickets myself?

Turning off unnecessary outdoor lighting at night, or switching to yellow bug lights, helps reduce how many crickets gather near the house in the first place. Sweeping up dead crickets and sealing obvious gaps around doors and windows helps too. It won’t eliminate an active breeding population in the yard, though, which is really what keeps the cycle going season after season.