How To Catch A Cricket Without Killing It

Perhaps you are looking for a nice meal for your pet, a bait for when you go fishing, or to get rid of the annoying chirping sound of the cricket in your home and at least have a decent sleep.

Whatever your reason, read on for tactics you can use to carefully catch a cricket without harming it.

 

What Are Crickets? 

Crickets belong to the family Gryllidae, which has over 2,400 species of other insects and their order is Orthoptera. They are often considered to be the distant cousins of grasshoppers. Crickets can be small or medium-sized, usually 3 to 45mm long.

They are found in many countries and in some cultures, they are considered a sign of good luck and often eaten as snacks. Like other insects, crickets do not have lungs, their body consists of the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. They can be easily recognized by their somewhat cylindrical shape and flat body.

They have thin antennae and hind legs they use for jumping and another two membranous hind wings they use for flying. Although crickets are not dangerous and are incapable of causing any kind of to humans, if they get into your house, the chirping sound they make, will keep you awake at night while they also feed on your linen and fabric clothes.

Crickets also play an important role in the ecosystem by serving as food to other animals and also helping with nutrient recycling. 

 

Read also: How to Get Rid of Camel Crickets

 

How To Catch a Cricket Without Killing It

1. Box and Paper Towel Trap

To make a cricket trap with a box and paper towel, the first thing you need is to find an empty cardboard box, any empty box will work, but let it be a small size. Then make a small opening on one side, let it be big enough for a cricket to enter but not bigger so that your trap will not attract a bigger insect.

When you are done with this, crumple up a paper towel and let it be slightly wet. then, place a dab of honey or jam on the dampened paper towel. This will create a sweet scent that will attract crickets to your trap.

Make sure you place the box correctly, place the side of the box with the opening facing a wall, near where you have seen crickets. The darkness and the scent will entice them to go inside and check it out.

Leave your trap overnight. In the morning, when crickets are less active carefully and quickly close the opening with a piece of cardboard or another box top. You have successfully trapped the cricket now, you can dispose of it properly. 

2. Newspaper Trap

Another way you can catch a cricket is by using a newspaper.  To make this trap use bait of breadcrumbs and sugar.  Mix them together, then cover your bait with a layer of newspaper, and place the mixture where you have seen crickets.

The cricket will try to get to the mixture, which will trap them and keep them there for you to catch. 

Remember, do not sprinkle the mixture inside your home, take the bait outside, you don’t want to attract other pests to your home. The best time to place this bait is at night when crickets are mostly active.

3. Using a Soda Can

Using soda to catch a cricket is a simple process, get a can of soda, drink, or turn out the contents of the can, but leave a small amount in the can.

Then place the bottle of soda sideways, and leave it near where you have noticed crickets activities. The smell of the leftover soda will attract crickets into the bottle where they will be trapped for you. 

4. Catching Crickets with Sticky Tape

Duct tape is surprisingly very effective at catching crickets, although some people may not think of it as the most humane option. Here’s how you can make your own simple cricket trap using duct tape. Cut a good piece of duct tape, let it be around 12 inches long by 6 inches wide.

Keep it flat on the floor, with the sticky side facing up. Now place the duct tape trap in places where you’ve heard cricket chirps or just any dark, damp place, as crickets are attracted to these places. Leave your trap overnight and check the trap in the morning.

Crickets that wander onto the sticky surface are now stuck on it.  There, you have caught your cricket. If you plan to release the crickets, make sure you do it outside.

If you do not want to cause harm to the cricket in any way, the Duct tape trap may not be the right option for you. This is because duct taps are very sticky and can injure the cricket’s delicate legs. Use any of the other methods mentioned above.

 

Where Should You Place Your Cricket Traps?

You can place your trap in the following places:

• Crickets like to be in a wet environment, place your trap in places like the basement, in the garages, and near leaking pipes. 
• If there is a crack anywhere in your house, in the walls, the foundation, or around the windows or doors, that is a potential entry point for crickets and where they most likely are, so place your trap in these places. 
• Sometimes crickets may be hiding behind your furniture and appliances, place your trap, behind and under your items of furniture and appliances. 

Trap Positioning Tips:

It is not just enough to know where to place your traps but you have to know how to position it so that it will catch a cricket.

1. Position your trap opening so that it faces the wall, crickets like dark places so a possible dark tunnel is inviting to them and will make them enter. 
2. If you are dealing with an infestation, to know if it is an infestation, you will hear crickets chirp in multiple places around your house, place many traps at once, and in strategic places, crickets will likely be. 

 

Conclusion 

Yes, it is possible to catch a cricket without killing it, and in this article, we have shown you how to do it. With just a few household items like a newspaper and duct tap, you can safely catch and release crickets back into the wild without causing them harm.

Always remember, although we may not like them, insects are important parts of the ecosystem and we should learn how to live with them without resorting to lethal means to get rid of them. 

 

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