Silver Bullet Pest ControlCricket Control in NJ: Camel Crickets, Field Crickets and House Crickets
Hump-backed, spider-looking crickets leaping at you in the basement or garage — or a cricket chirping all night somewhere you can't find it? Silver Bullet Pest Control identifies which cricket you have, finds where they're getting in and breeding, and puts together a plan to keep them out.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • 15+ years • Based in Garfield • Hablamos español
Snap a photo (even a squashed one) and text it to 973-510-2585. Camel crickets and field crickets need different fixes.
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How do you get rid of crickets in the house?
Cricket control in NJ works by matching the fix to the cricket: camel crickets in basements and garages are beaten by drying out the space, clearing clutter and sealing ground-level gaps, while chirping field crickets are kept out with tighter doors, less outdoor lighting and a treatment around the foundation. Sticky traps and a dehumidifier help in the meantime, but a professional perimeter treatment and sealing is what usually stops the cycle. Silver Bullet Pest Control (NJ License 90568B) serves Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties with free quotes. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Which cricket do you have?
Three kinds of crickets cause most calls in North Jersey homes:
| Camel cricket | Field cricket | House cricket | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Also called | Cave cricket, spider cricket, "sprickets" | Black cricket | — |
| Looks | Tan to brown, humped back, very long legs and antennae, no wings | Shiny black or dark brown, wings | Light yellow-brown with dark bands on the head, wings |
| Chirps? | No | Yes, loudly at night | Yes |
| Where indoors | Basements, garages, crawl spaces, laundry rooms | Ground floor, near doors and windows | Warm spots, near heaters, kitchens |
| When | Year-round in damp spaces, more in late summer | Late summer and fall | Any time, more in fall |
| Attracted by | Moisture and darkness | Outdoor lights and warmth | Warmth and food |
Camel crickets are by far the most common cricket complaint in basements here. We have a full guide: camel crickets, cave crickets and spider crickets.
Camel crickets in the basement and garage
Camel crickets don't chirp and don't fly. What they do is jump — straight at you, it often seems. They aren't attacking; jumping is how they escape when startled, and in a dim basement they often jump toward the nearest movement.
They love the spaces many North Jersey homes have plenty of: older stone and block basements, attached garages, crawl spaces, window wells, utility rooms and storage areas. In some homes, people see dozens at once along the walls and in corners.
- Moisture is the key. Camel crickets need damp, dark spaces. A dry basement is a poor home for them.
- They can breed indoors. In damp basements and crawl spaces they can complete their life cycle inside, so a few can become many.
- They come from outside too. Under decks, in window wells, wood piles, stone walls and thick ground cover are common outdoor hiding places right next to the foundation.
Seeing lots of camel crickets often goes together with other moisture pests, like centipedes. See centipede and millipede control.
How to find and stop a chirping cricket
A single chirping cricket can keep a whole household up. The chirp comes from males rubbing their wings together, and they usually chirp at night.
To find it:
- Go toward the sound slowly. Crickets often stop chirping when they feel vibration, so pause and wait for it to start again.
- Check along baseboards, behind appliances and furniture, in closets, near the water heater and in boxes on the floor.
- A sticky trap placed along the wall in the room usually catches it within a few nights.
If you're hearing a lot of them, they're getting in from outside. Field crickets are drawn to lights at night in late summer and fall, then slip in under doors and through gaps around windows, garage doors and foundation vents.
Why crickets get into the house
Damp spaces
Wet basements, crawl spaces with bare soil, leaky pipes and laundry rooms without venting give camel crickets exactly what they need.
Lights at night
Porch lights and bright windows attract field crickets in late summer and fall, and from there they find a way inside.
Gaps at ground level
Worn door sweeps, gaps under the garage door, cracks in the foundation, open window wells and unsealed utility lines.
Clutter and cover
Cardboard boxes, stacked wood, piles of leaves and mulch against the house give crickets places to hide and breed.
Do crickets bite or cause damage?
Crickets are mostly a nuisance, but not completely harmless to your stuff:
- Bites: Camel crickets don't bite people. Field and house crickets can nip if handled, but it's rare and minor.
- Fabric and paper: Field and house crickets in large numbers can chew on fabric, especially soiled clothing, as well as paper and cardboard. Camel crickets can damage items stored on a damp basement floor.
- A sign of moisture: Lots of camel crickets usually means humidity that can also cause mold and attract other pests.
- Food for other pests: Crickets are prey for spiders and house centipedes, so a cricket problem can keep those around too.
For many homeowners, the real problem is just being startled every time they go down to the laundry room — and that's a good enough reason to fix it.
How to get rid of crickets yourself
Dry out the basement
Run a dehumidifier, fix leaks, and make sure dryer vents and bathroom fans actually vent outside.
Put out sticky traps
Glue traps along walls and in corners catch crickets and show you where they're coming from.
Clear the floor
Move boxes and stored items onto shelves or into sealed plastic bins, and get rid of old cardboard.
Seal the gaps
Replace worn door sweeps and garage door seals, caulk foundation cracks, and close gaps around pipes and wires.
Change the lighting
Switch porch lights off when you don't need them, or use yellow bulbs, which attract fewer insects.
Clean up outside
Pull mulch, leaves and wood piles back from the foundation, and cover window wells.
Store-bought sprays kill crickets you hit, but crickets hiding in walls, crawl spaces and outside keep coming. Fixing moisture and gaps is what lasts.
How our cricket control service works
When there are too many crickets to handle with traps, or they keep coming back, a professional visit looks at the whole house:
- Identify the cricket. Camel crickets, field crickets and house crickets each need a slightly different plan.
- Inspect inside and out. Basements, garages, crawl spaces, window wells, decks, mulch beds and the foundation line.
- Treat where they live and enter. A targeted treatment around the foundation, garage door, thresholds and crawl space openings, plus cracks and voids inside where they hide.
- Point out moisture and entry points so you can fix them, or ask us about sealing openings.
- Handle the related pests. If spiders or centipedes are feeding on the crickets, we deal with them too.
Crickets are often covered as part of recurring residential pest control, which comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Businesses and warehouses with crickets near loading doors can see our commercial pest control page.
When crickets show up in New Jersey
| Time of year | What to expect | Best move |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Camel crickets active in damp basements and crawl spaces | Dehumidify, clean up stored items, set traps |
| Summer | Camel cricket numbers grow; field crickets maturing outside | Seal gaps and fix drainage before fall |
| Late summer–fall | Field crickets move toward lights and warmth; most chirping complaints | Door sweeps, lights off, perimeter treatment |
| Winter | Crickets that got in hide near warmth; camel crickets stay in damp spaces | Track where they show up and seal those spots |
Fall is also when other pests head indoors; see why there are so many bugs in October.
Get a Free Cricket Control Quote
Tell us where you see them and send a photo if you can. We'll identify the cricket and explain the plan.
Why homeowners call us for crickets
- Jumping spider crickets in the basement
- Crickets all over the garage floor
- A cricket chirping all night
- Crickets in a finished basement or laundry room
- They come back every fall
Request Service
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Cricket Control Questions
What are the jumping spider-looking bugs in my basement?
They're almost always camel crickets, also called cave crickets or spider crickets. They're tan or brown with a humped back and very long legs, they don't chirp, and they live in damp, dark spaces like basements, garages and crawl spaces.
Do camel crickets bite?
No. Camel crickets don't bite people and aren't poisonous. They jump when startled, sometimes toward you, which is scary but harmless. They can chew on items stored on a damp floor, like cardboard and fabric.
Why do I have so many crickets in my basement?
Moisture is the main reason. Camel crickets need damp, dark spaces, and many basements and crawl spaces stay humid enough for them to live and breed. Gaps at ground level and clutter on the floor make it even easier.
How do I stop a cricket from chirping?
Find it and remove it. Move slowly toward the sound and wait when it stops, check baseboards and behind furniture, and put a sticky trap along the wall in that room. Most chirping crickets are caught within a few nights.
Will a dehumidifier get rid of camel crickets?
It helps a lot. Camel crickets struggle in dry air, so running a dehumidifier in the basement, fixing leaks and clearing damp clutter can cut their numbers sharply. Sealing gaps and treating entry points keeps new ones from coming in.
Are crickets a sign of another pest problem?
Often, yes. Lots of camel crickets point to high humidity, which also attracts centipedes, silverfish and other moisture pests. And crickets are food for spiders and house centipedes, so you may see those too.
Is cricket treatment safe for kids and pets?
Yes, when it's done properly. Most of the treatment goes around the foundation and into cracks and voids where crickets hide, and we explain any precautions before we start.
How long does cricket control take to work?
Most homeowners see far fewer crickets within a week or two after a professional treatment. Long-term results depend on fixing moisture and sealing gaps, since new crickets will keep moving in from outside if the basement stays damp.
Do you serve my town?
We're based in Garfield and serve Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties, with same-day visits often available. We also serve Morris and Union county towns with visits scheduled ahead. NJ License 90568B. Call or text 973-510-2585.
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Cricket control near you
From Garfield we serve all of North Jersey. Local pest control pages:
Our service area
Bergen County
973-510-2585- Allendale
- Bergenfield
- Bogota
- Carlstadt
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Passaic County
973-510-2585- Bloomingdale
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Essex County
973-510-2585- Belleville
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Hudson County
973-510-2585Union County
973-510-2585- Berkeley Heights
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Morris County
973-510-2585- Boonton
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Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B