Crickets are a type of insect that many people consider to be pests.
However, there are some benefits to having crickets in your garden.
In this blog post, we will explore the pros and cons of having crickets in your garden so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not you want them around.
The pros of having crickets in your garden
Crickets are good for the soil
Crickets aerate the soil as they burrow through it, which helps the roots of plants to grow.
Additionally, cricket waste is full of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are all essential nutrients for plants.
Crickets eat pests
Crickets are carnivores and will eat other insects that may be harmful to your plants, such as aphids, mites, and caterpillars.
This can save you money on pesticides and help to keep your garden healthy.
Crickets chirp
Some people enjoy the sound of crickets chirping and find it to be soothing.
If you have crickets in your garden, you can enjoy their music for free.
Crickets are a natural source of food for other animals
If you have animals in your backyard, such as wild birds, chickens or frogs, they will enjoy eating crickets.
This food source can attract all kinds of beneficial wildlife to your garden.
Crickets are also excellent composters
They’ll happily munch on dead leaves, grass clippings, and other organic matter, which means less work for you when it comes time to clean up the garden in fall.
Plus, their droppings make a great fertilizer for your plants.
The cons of having crickets in your garden
They can destroy plants
While most of the time crickets only eat dead leaves or other insects, if there is not enough food around they may start nibbling on living plants instead—especially if those plants are already weak or sickly.
They can get into your house
Although it’s not common, if there is a large cricket population in your yard they may try to find their way into your house in search of food or shelter.
They might eat your flowers
Crickets are attracted to bright colors, so if you have brightly-colored flowers in your garden they may become targets.
What attracts crickets to the garden?
There are a number of reasons why crickets are attracted to gardens so, if you want more or less read on to see how to attract or repel these creatures.
Crickets are attracted to gardens because of the food.
Gardens are a veritable smorgasbord for crickets.
These insects love to feast on leaves, flowers, and fruits.
If you have a particularly bountiful garden, chances are you’ll have more than your fair share of cricket visitors.
While there’s not much you can do to prevent crickets from eating your plants (after all, that’s what they’re designed to do), you can deter them by making sure that your garden is clean and free of debris.
Keep your garden tidy and remove any fallen leaves or rotting fruit as soon as possible.
This will make it less attractive to crickets (and other pests).
Crickets are attracted to gardens because of the shelter.
In addition to being attracted by the food, crickets are also looking for shelter when they enter your garden.
These insects like to hide in dark, moist places during the day, which means that covered gardens or mulched areas are especially inviting to them.
If you have a cricket problem, make sure to keep your garden well-lit and open so that the insects don’t have anywhere to hide.
You can also try using diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your garden as a natural way to deter crickets (and other pests).
Crickets are attracted to gardens because of the temperature.
Crickets are cold-blooded creatures, which means that they’re lizard-like in their need for warmth.
Gardens provide the perfect environment for crickets since they tend to be warm and humid (especially during the summer months).
If you live in an area with a warm climate, chances are you’ll have more cricket visitors than those who live in cooler regions.
Crickets are attracted to gardens because of the noise.
Crickets are known for their chirping noise, which they use to attract mates or warn off predators.
This noise can also attract other crickets (which is why cricket infestations tend to happen in times when there’s lots of rainfall).
Crickets are attracted to gardens because of the light .
While some insects are drawn to light, crickets actually prefer dark places.
So if you have a well-lit garden, this could be one of the reasons why crickets keep appearing.
Try turning off lights near your garden at night or planting some tall bushes or trees nearby to block out the light.
Final Words
As with anything else in life, there are pros and cons to having crickets in your garden.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to tolerate them is up to individual preference.
If you do decide that you would like to get rid of them however, doing so can prove difficult.
