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August Pest of the Month Crickets & Katydids

Weird Summer Invaders

This summer, our unseasonably wet weather has caused outbreaks of some strange insects. Usually, insects lay many eggs in the intent that only a handful will actually make it to adulthood. As eggs, the most likely cause of death is desiccation (drying up). Wet weather has completely prevented this, resulting in more insects surviving than would normally.

Crickets are one such insect. Field crickets are invading the outside and inside of our buildings. You may notice them crawling up the outside walls by the hundreds. Field crickets seem to be most attracted to white or light painted buildings during the day. At night you will find them wherever bright lights are found (movie theaters, baseball fields, etc). Crickets are not necessarily a public health threat; they do not bite and are very unlikely to damage gardens or crops. However, they are a major nuisance, and when they die, can leave a very strong stench.

Although I have not found any records of this, it is likely that in these high numbers field cricket's dand or droppings may aggravate allergies. If you have known allergies to cockroaches you should probably be wary of areas with heavy cricket infestations.

Crickets will go away on their own, but if you feel the need to treat them, spray the outside of the houseor building with a general outdoor insecticide. This will not repel them, but they will die once they touch the pesticide and won't make it indoors. You can also try the various brands of "bug baits." For more information on crickets see this publication:
http://citybugs.tamu.edu/FastSheets/Ent-1008.html

Central Texas Leaf Katydids are another invader. They look like grasshoppers, but have dome-like leaf shaped wings. They can be pink or green in color and have been found in large numbers in northern Bexar County.

Katydids rarely cause damage to trees, do not enter homes, and do not bite. They can be deafening in large numbers, usually at night, but also during the day. You cannot really control them with any pesticide, but
rather just let nature take its course. By September they should be gone.
Photo: Kurt Williams-TAMU

For more information on Katydids visit: http://www.texasento.net/robustus.htm