People often get crickets and grasshoppers mixed up, since they are both impressive jumpers. However, they're really not much alike, with one being a chirper and the other a lawn and garden pest. Here’s a quick look at the similarities and differences of grasshoppers and crickets so you can know how to get rid of them yourself.
Cricket And Grasshopper Similarities
- Grasshoppers and crickets, along with katydids, are in the same family.
- Both of these insects have very large back legs that allow them to jump very far or very high.
Cricket and Grasshopper Differences
- The main difference between these insects, especially from a pest control standpoint, is that crickets are generally not pests, and grasshoppers are, and can become huge problems especially when populations spike.
- They also look very different. Crickets are smaller than grasshoppers, and have long antennas that are almost as long as their bodies. The most common cricket people associate with that classic chirping noise is the field cricket, which is black and shiny. Grasshoppers can be a range of colors, from bright green to dusty gray, and can be about an inch to two inches long, depending on the species.
- Crickets feed mostly on dead or dying insects, but can become a nuisance, especially since they are most active at night and this is when you will hear their chirps. One or two may work their way into your house, but they’re not thrilled to be in your house and they will either escape or die inside.
- Grasshoppers, on the other hand, can become huge pests when populations explode. Each state will have different species of problem grasshoppers. Some species of grasshoppers will focus on one or two types of plants, and as far as vegetables go, grasshoppers like lettuce, carrots, beans, sweet corn, and onions. However, when populations are high, they will feed on almost anything.
To recap, if you see some crickets, it is usually not an issue. If you seem to have a large amount of grasshoppers around your property, you might want to take some control steps. Since they are highly mobile, chemical control is the easiest way to keep grasshopper populations in check and to minimize grasshopper damage. Products with bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, permethrin, deltamethrin, carbaryl, and others are good products to choose. Check out our grasshopper control page for great grasshopper control products. Many products are labeled to kill crickets, and you can find them on our cricket control page.