Sticky glue traps are the most widely used and effective type of cricket trap for indoor infestations. They work by using a strong adhesive surface that catches crickets as they walk across it, requiring no chemicals or poisons. Placing them in the right spots and combining them with a few prevention steps will clear most cricket problems within a couple of weeks.
How Sticky Traps Work
Cricket glue traps are flat boards coated with a strong adhesive. When a cricket walks onto the surface, it gets stuck and can’t escape. Most commercial versions are non-toxic, relying purely on the physical grip of the glue rather than any pesticide. This makes them safe to use indoors around food prep areas and living spaces.
Many traps come with a mild scent attractant, often peanut butter or peanut-flavored, to lure crickets onto the board. Some feature a foldable design that creates a tunnel shape, which appeals to crickets’ natural preference for dark, enclosed spaces. A good quality trap with high-tack adhesive (around 50 grams per square centimeter of holding strength) will stay effective for roughly 30 days before the glue dries out or fills with dust and debris.
You can also bait plain glue boards yourself by placing a small dab of peanut butter or a piece of bread in the center. This works just as well as pre-scented traps and costs less if you’re buying generic glue boards in bulk.
Where to Place Traps
Placement matters more than the number of traps you set. Crickets prefer dark, damp, protected spots, so putting a trap in the middle of a well-lit room won’t catch much. Focus on these locations:
- Along baseboards and walls. Crickets tend to travel along edges rather than crossing open floor space.
- Behind or under furniture. The dark gaps behind couches, bookshelves, and appliances are prime hiding spots.
- Basements, crawl spaces, and garages. These cool, damp environments are where crickets, especially camel crickets, are most active.
- Near entry points. Place traps beside exterior doors, foundation cracks, and openings around utility pipes where crickets are getting inside.
- Closets and storage areas. Warm, undisturbed spaces with clutter give crickets exactly the cover they want.
Sticky traps have been shown to work particularly well against camel crickets, the hump-backed species commonly found in basements. These crickets are almost entirely nocturnal, so you may not see them during the day even when a significant number are present. Checking your traps each morning tells you how active the population really is.
Pet and Child Safety
Standard glue traps are non-toxic, so a pet or child who touches one isn’t at risk of poisoning. The main concern is the adhesive sticking to skin, fur, or hair. If that happens, don’t try to rip the trap off. Pulling forcefully can tear skin.
Instead, soak the affected area in warm water and soap for about 15 minutes to soften the glue. If that doesn’t fully release it, massage a small amount of vegetable oil or cooking oil into the stuck area. The oil breaks down the adhesive and lets you gently work the trap free. Wash with soap and water afterward to remove the oil residue.
One important distinction: simple glue traps are very different from chemical pest strips. Some pest strips contain organophosphate insecticides that can cause serious symptoms in humans and animals, including vomiting, tremors, and seizures, even from small exposures. If you’re buying traps specifically for crickets, stick with plain adhesive boards and check the packaging to confirm no pesticides are included.
Making Traps More Effective
Traps alone will kill the crickets already inside your home, but they won’t stop new ones from coming in. A few complementary steps make a real difference.
Seal entry points first. The most common gaps are under exterior doors (a simple door sweep fixes this), cracks in the foundation, and openings where plumbing or electrical lines pass through walls. A tube of silicone caulk handles most of these in an afternoon.
Reduce moisture next. Crickets are drawn to damp environments, so running a dehumidifier in your basement or fixing leaky pipes removes one of the main things attracting them. Inside buildings, house crickets gravitate toward warm, dark areas with available water sources.
Turn off exterior lights at night, or switch to yellow “bug light” bulbs. Crickets are strongly attracted to bright white and blue-spectrum lighting. Porch lights near doorways pull crickets right to your entry points, where they eventually find their way inside.
How Many Traps to Use
For a moderate cricket problem in a single room or basement, start with four to six traps placed in the locations described above. For a whole-house issue, plan on 10 to 15 traps spread across problem areas. Packs of 30 or more are available for under $15, so cost isn’t a major factor.
Check traps every few days. Replace any that are full of caught insects, heavily dusty, or losing their stickiness. If you’re still catching large numbers after two weeks and have sealed entry points, the crickets may be breeding indoors. Look for egg-laying sites in warm, moist areas like laundry rooms or near hot water heaters, and consider applying a perimeter insecticide around the exterior foundation to cut off the source.