You may be dealing with a cricket problem. If that’s the case, this guide will be helpful. You may be using these insects to feed your chickens or reptiles you may have as pets. Or it can be used as fishing bait.
We’ll show you how to set up a cricket trap with ease. You will be able to create one from scratch without having to spend a ton of money. Crickets are harmless insects to humans.
You can catch and relocate them. Or you can get rid of them once and for all using the mentioned examples above. Now, let’s show you how to attract crickets and trap them.
5 Homemade Cricket Trap Ideas:
Before we begin, we recommend catching the crickets while they are alive. That’s because live crickets will be fresh compared to dead ones. Not only that, trapping them live is ethical. Although crickets can bite, it’s note very likely, so don’t worry about that.
There are five different cricket traps that you can use. Let’s go over the instructions on how you can set each one up:
Plastic Trap
This will require the use of empty plastic bottles such as water or soda bottles. You will also need a knife or a pair of scissors. This will be used to cut around the bottle where the bottle is widest.
From there, you can turn the top of the bottle inside out. Seal the top end of the bottle with duct tape. This will make it difficult, if not impossible, for the cricket to escape.
Next, you’ll want to use sugar or a similar kind of bait. Sprinkle it on the bottle until the bottom part is covered. Place it in an area where the crickets are active and leave it overnight.
When you have crickets inside the trap, you can put them in a different container or release them out in the wild. Again, this is entirely up to you.
Duct Tape Trap
Duct tape is sticky enough to catch crickets and various pests. You will need to use bread or molasses as the bait if you are going to use this approach. You should be able to see a few crickets the following morning.
Dispose of them accordingly. One thing to be aware of is that duct tape traps need to be out of reach of your pets. Be sure to place them in areas like underneath your fridge or wherever crickets may hang out indoors.
Newspaper Trap
One of the bait for crickets are foods that are rich in carbs. So you’ll want to use either bread or granulated sugar. They will come in droves.
To set up this trap, you’ll want to mix the bread crumbs with sugar. Plain bread is the best option. You’ll want to sprinkle the mix where the crickets often meet.
Cover the mixture with a single sheet of newspaper and leave it overnight. Be sure to wake up before dawn to catch them and relocate them outside or in a container. This trap will be more effective if you are outdoors rather than indoors.
Cardboard Tube Trap
If you have a cardboard tube such as a paper towel roll, this will be great for a cricket trap. Once they enter, there is no way out. Check the tube the next morning and see if you’ve caught anything.
This trap is versatile since you can use it either indoors or outdoors. So if you are dealing with an issue anywhere on the property, this trap can prove itself useful. You may want to keep the cardboard tubes from your paper towels before disposing of them.
Loaf of Bread
A loaf of bread will be the perfect trap. There is one caveat: it can’t be sliced. What you need to do is take a loaf of bread and dig a hole on each end with a spoon.
Place the loaf in a separate bowl. The bread crumbs you have dug out of the loaf can be used as bait. You’ll want to mix it in with granulated sugar and fill it in the holes.
Be sure to keep the loaf together using toothpicks, duct tape, or even rubber bands. The bread’s ends will need to be sliced off. This will allow the crickets an entry point.
Place the loaf near a cricket hotspot and wait until morning. You’ll have plenty of them still feasting.
Where Should You Place Your Cricket Traps?
Depending on the type of trap you use, knowing where to place them is important. Of course, you’ll need to know the location of the places crickets hang out. If you are having trouble, search for an area where you see and hear bugs often.
Crickets won’t leave those areas at all. They will be located in places that are dark like your basement or crawlspace. Your doorways may also be a good location to set up traps (especially if you want to keep the trap indoors or outdoors).
Finally, your windows may be an entry point for cricket. You may want to consider setting up a trap between the window and its frame. Other entry areas to set up traps can include under your fridge, in your basement, and another in the attic.
Your cabinets (especially where you store foods such as bread and sugar) can be a good place to set up a trap. You’d be surprised how many parts of your home will serve as entry points for crickets.
Final Thoughts On Cricket Traps:
Crickets can easily be captured and relocated with these traps. You can keep the crickets for live bait that you can use immediately. Otherwise, you can set them free far away from your home.
Trapping them live will be the best option. They aren’t harmless and they aren’t going to kill you. Plus, your pets or free range chickens will love you because their bait is live and fresh.
We hope that this guide has been helpful for you. Here’s to setting up a successful cricket trap.
Resources:
https://extension.umaine.edu/home-and-garden-ipm/fact-sheets/common-name-listing/crickets/
