Insect identifier · Often confused insects
How to identify a House cricket
Acheta domesticus
· Also called cricket, field cricket
People search “house cricket” because it looks like something that bites. House cricket (Acheta domesticus) does not bite or sting people. Also called cricket, field cricket.
The chirp in the basement is a cricket, not a biter.
What does a house cricket look like?
House cricket is About 15–20 mm. Colors: brown, black. Marks: Long antennae; Enlarged hind legs; Chirp; No stinger.
House cricket is About 15–20 mm. Colors: brown, black. Marks: Long antennae; Enlarged hind legs; Chirp; No stinger.
Identification marks
- Long antennae
- Enlarged hind legs
- Chirp
- No stinger
Size: About 15–20 mm
Colors: brown, black
Where: both
House cricket vs German cockroach
A chirp and a jump = cricket. A flat fast oval in the kitchen at night may be a cockroach. Neither is a bed bug.
- German cockroach identification (Blattella germanica)
- Katydid identification (Tettigoniidae)
- European earwig identification (Forficula auricularia)
- Grasshopper identification (Acrididae)
Range and season
Active warm months; year-round indoors. Places: house, yard, basement. Chirp at night. Do not bite people.
Basements, garages, and fields.
Chirp at night. Do not bite people.
Warm months; year-round indoors
Common questions
Do crickets bite?
No.
Cricket vs cockroach?
Crickets jump and chirp. Cockroaches scuttle and have a flatter oval body.