One day, your basement is fine. Next, you find pincher bugs in the corners and hear crickets chirp at midnight. If you live in Missouri Springs, this is not unusual.
Many homeowners across the country face the same problem and turn to trusted local providers for help, just as customers rely on Pointe Pest Control to keep pests out of their homes.
Here in Missouri Springs, our climate and home structures make basements a popular destination for both crickets and earwigs. Understanding why they show up is the first step to keeping them out.
What Draws Earwigs Into Missouri Springs Homes?
Earwigs need damp conditions to survive. When it gets too hot and dry outside, they move indoors.
Missouri Springs summers can be warm and arid, which pushes earwigs toward the cooler, humid environment inside your home. Basements and bathrooms are their first stop.
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You may also notice more earwigs after heavy rain or during irrigation season. When the soil outside becomes saturated, earwigs relocate, and your basement becomes a perfect fit.
They are nocturnal, so they hide during the day and come out at night. That is why you might not spot them until there are already quite a few around.
Earwigs also live in mulch, leaf piles, and garden soil right outside your foundation. If those materials sit close to your exterior walls, earwigs can easily get inside through cracks, gaps around utility pipes, and worn-out door seals.
Why Crickets End Up In Your Basement.
Crickets are drawn to dark, damp, and warm spaces. Basements naturally check all three boxes.
House crickets and camel crickets, both common in Missouri Springs, actively seek out basements because the conditions resemble the cave-like environments they prefer outdoors.
In late summer and early fall, crickets start looking for warmth as outdoor temperatures drop. This is when Missouri Springs homeowners notice a spike in cricket activity indoors.
They squeeze through cracks in the foundation, gaps around basement windows, and openings near pipes. Once inside, they settle into dark corners and behind stored boxes where they can hide and breed undisturbed.
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Crickets also chew through fabric, clothing, and paper, so an untreated problem can quietly destroy things stored in your basement.
Common Entry Points in Missouri Springs Homes.
Both pests use many of the same entry points to get inside. Knowing where to look helps you stop them before they settle in.
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Foundation Cracks.
Small cracks develop at the bottom of exterior walls as the houses settle. Small insects such as earwigs and crickets find it very easy to access these gaps.
The problem of settling is particularly susceptible to older houses in Missouri Springs neighborhoods. Caulking these cracks immediately you find them can help a lot.
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Basement Windows.
A weak point that is usually found is the basement windows, particularly when the weatherstripping is old or the frame has developed gaps over the years.
Crickets, especially, have been known to squeeze through the smallest of openings along window edges. Worn weatherstripping can be replaced easily and cheaply.
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Utility Lines and Vents.
The exterior walls frequently have small gaps around pipes, vents, and electrical conduits that pass through them. Earwigs particularly pursue damp air entering through openings and make their way in through the openings.
One of the most effective things that people can do, but not the most noticeable, is checking these spots and filling up any cracks with foam or caulk.
When to Call a Professional in Missouri Springs.
When the crickets are still whistling in your walls or earwigs continue to appear despite all your efforts, then it is time to call in an expert.
Pointe Pest Control is the company that provides Missouri Springs homeowners with the solution to these problems.
Their team will visit your house, identify the points of entry and sources of moisture that cause the problem, and put down treatments that go way beyond anything you can find at the store.