Crickets invade city after mild winter

AUSTIN (KXAN) - It seems the wet weather we had earlier this year is responsible for some noisy neighbors that people all over Austin are now dealing with.

Crickets have invaded in full force this spring and they have a lot of people talking.

The sounds of crickets fill the Austin air. You hear them, and then you see them all around town. They're seen as good luck in some foreign countries but here in Austin, not so much.

"They're fearless. They jump on me all the time when I am walking the dog. They're terrible -- I hate them," said Marisa Jahn, an Austin resident.

Experts said crickets are harmless creatures, but they can still be a nuisance, especially with an exploding population because of a wetter winter and warmer spring.

"Things are different now," said Jay Lee Hill of ABC Home and Commercial Services. "For the last two- to three seasons, we have been in a drought. The grass hasn't been able to grow. There hasn't been a lot of food."

Local pesticide companies said they're getting calls about cricket problems, earlier than normal.

"I have gone out to a specific commercial account, and it's like a horror movie. As I am treating [homes for bugs] they are dive-bombing me," said Hill.

But there are some things you can do.

• Turn off outdoor lights
• Get rid of standing water and food sources outside
• Eliminate weeds and yard clippings
• Seal possible entry points into your home

But there is a silver lining. Exterminators said the surge in the cricket population will thin out in a few weeks.

Then, it's quieter nights until they hop back into our lives again next year.