Crickets in the House This Fall: What Lancaster Homeowners Can Do

    By Desert Grizzly Pest Control · Reviewed by George Barahona, owner · Last updated: October 19, 2026

    It's 11 p.m., the house is quiet, and somewhere behind the couch a cricket starts chirping. You turn on the light and it stops. You turn it off and it starts again. In Lancaster, that's a familiar fall routine, especially in homes that back up to open desert or vacant lots.

    This guide explains why crickets come inside when the weather cools, how to tell which kind you have, and the simple steps that keep them outside. It's written with central Lancaster (93534) in mind, where lots of homes have bright porch lights, block walls and patches of dry weeds nearby, but it works anywhere in the Antelope Valley.

    Why Crickets Head Indoors in the Fall

    The University of California's Integrated Pest Management program (UC IPM: Crickets) describes adult crickets as shiny black or brown, about 0.6 to 1 inch long, with long antennae. They're nocturnal and need shelter during the day. UC IPM also notes they tend to migrate in from weedy areas as those areas dry up.

    University of Missouri Extension's guide to house-invading crickets adds that field crickets invade homes most often in the fall in response to cooler nighttime temperatures, and that they're attracted to lights at night.

    Put that together in the high desert: summer weeds dry out, the nights turn cold, and a lit-up house is the warmest, brightest thing around.

    Field Cricket or House Cricket?

    According to Missouri Extension:

    • Field crickets are usually black and are the ones most likely to wander in from outside in the fall. They rarely reproduce indoors.
    • House crickets are light yellowish-brown with three darker bands across the head. They can live indoors year-round in warm, dark spots.

    Either one can chew on fabrics like cotton, wool and silk, especially items soiled by food or sweat, so it's worth keeping stored clothes and linens in closed bins.

    Turn Down the Lights

    Lights are the biggest draw. Missouri Extension recommends limiting outdoor lighting or using yellow bulbs, which are less attractive to insects than white lights.

    • Swap the porch and garage lights for yellow "bug" bulbs.
    • Put lights on a timer or motion sensor instead of leaving them on all night.
    • Close blinds at night in rooms near the back slider so indoor light doesn't spill into the yard.

    Fewer insects at your doors also means fewer spiders, including black widows, setting up webs there to hunt them.

    Close the Gaps They Use

    Missouri Extension says crickets commonly come in through cracks around the foundation and through open or poorly fitting doors, windows and vents. Check:

    • Door sweeps and thresholds on every exterior door, including the garage side door
    • The bottom seal of the garage door, especially the corners
    • Window and door screens for tears
    • Foundation cracks and gaps where pipes, A/C lines and cables come through
    • Vent screens on the foundation and the attic

    The same gaps let in mice when it gets cold. Our guide to mouse-proofing your garage covers what sealing materials hold up.

    Clear Their Daytime Hiding Spots

    Crickets need shelter during the day. Missouri Extension suggests reducing habitat near the home, like rocks, stacked boards, firewood, overgrown vegetation and other clutter.

    1. Cut back dry weeds along the block wall and side yards.
    2. Move firewood and lumber off the ground and away from the house.
    3. Pick up boards, flattened boxes and debris lying against the walls.
    4. Thin out dense ground cover right next to the foundation.
    5. Fix damp spots by the house. Crickets like dark, damp shelter, and so do earwigs. See our guide to earwigs coming in under the doors.

    Already Inside? Finding the Chirper

    Missouri Extension notes crickets are large and easy to catch, and a vacuum works well for live and dead ones. Sticky traps placed along walls and behind furniture can also catch them. Throw out dead crickets rather than leaving them, so they don't feed other pests. To find a chirper, walk slowly toward the sound with the lights low; most stop chirping when they sense movement, so pause and wait.

    How Desert Grizzly Helps: $60 Flat

    If crickets keep showing up after you've changed the lights and sealed the doors, call George and tell him what you're seeing. Crickets are covered by our $60 general pest control. It's $60 flat whether you choose monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly or one-time. No bait-and-switch, and the same full treatment every visit.

    • The owner picks up. George answers the phone and does the work himself.
    • Weekend morning appointments are available.
    • No extra trip charge for outlying towns like Antelope Acres, Neenach, Mojave and California City.

    We serve Lancaster and Quartz Hill (93534, 93535, 93536) and Palmdale (93550, 93551, 93552). See our Lancaster pest control page for more.

    Cricket FAQs

    Why do I have more crickets in the fall? Missouri Extension says field crickets invade homes most often in fall as nights cool, and they're drawn to lights. UC IPM notes they move in from weedy areas as those dry up.

    Are crickets harmful? They don't spread disease, but they can chew fabrics, especially soiled ones (Missouri Extension). Mostly they're a noise problem.

    What's the easiest fix? Yellow outdoor bulbs, tight door sweeps and clearing clutter and dry weeds next to the house.

    Will they breed inside? Field crickets rarely reproduce indoors. House crickets can live inside year-round in warm, dark places.

    Call George: 661-990-PEST (7378)

    Chirping keeping you up? Call 661-990-PEST (7378) and talk to George directly.

    • General pest control (includes crickets): $60 flat (monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly or one-time)
    • German roach treatment: $200 for 3 visits
    • Rodent stations: $160 setup plus $20/month
    • Mosquito treatment: $125
    • Service ZIPs: 93534, 93535, 93536 (Lancaster and Quartz Hill) · 93550, 93551, 93552 (Palmdale)
    • Also serving, no extra trip charge: Mojave, California City, Lake Los Angeles, Littlerock, Antelope Acres, Neenach
    • Weekend morning appointments available

    Desert Grizzly Pest Control · 2040 W Ave J13 #3, Lancaster, CA 93536 California Structural Pest Control Board Company Registration PR 10146

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