What Do Crickets Eat?

Crickets are closely related to grasshoppers. They’re found in almost every place in the world, excluding Antarctica. There are many types of crickets with distinct eating habits- some feed on plants and others eat dead animals or insects as well as plant material like leaves and bark.

Crickets eat food that is very similar to a human’s diet. They are omnivores that may eat fruits, vegetables and meats. In nature they eat what they can find such as rotting leaves, rotting fruit, vegetables and insects. 

They are a hungry bunch and will eat almost any type of food around your home if they invade. They’ll feast on anything left out, from leftover food to dirty clothes you’ve forgotten about! They also enjoy drapes, furniture, cardboard packaging for cereal boxes, or plastic bags with a chewable consistency. The pests can also eat the seeds and stems of plants such as barley, wheat, fruit, vegetables – anything really!

Food That a Cricket Will Eat

Fruit 

Crickets will feast on almost any fruit. They have a particular fancy for fruits such as bananas, oranges, and apples. They also enjoy feeding on the seeds of fruit plants. If given the opportunity, a cricket will feed on all the seeds that someone may have planted in their garden. Field crickets can cause untold amounts of damage to a variety of plants and crops, however, they can be kind of handy keeping weeds at bay.

Meat 

Unlike their herbivore grasshopper cousins, crickets can’t live without protein in their diet. This is why they take a particular interest in eating other insects, even crickets. If they don’t get this source of protein, they will undoubtedly die. The insects that crickets eat can range from smaller ants, aphids and spiders to large stick insects, ladybugs, and centipedes.

They will be attracted to the same meats humans are, such as scraps from a dinner table – lean hamburger meat and chicken for example.

Raw Vegetables

Another important element of a cricket’s diet is raw vegetables – peels from oranges, bananas, and other citrus fruits. Lettuce, carrots, and cabbage are also another staple for them. These raw vegetables are rich in nutrients that are key for their growth and development. They may be attracted to the raw vegetable leftovers that may be thrown in a garbage can or dropped outside. 

Cat Food

Crickets love cat food! However, its size and consistency may be a challenge for the crickets’ eating capabilities. Owners of crickets use cat food as the primary source of protein for their critters because it contains more than dog food – but it requires freezing and then breaking into tiny pieces with a hammer. Grounding it into a powder consistency is best so it’s easy for their crickets to eat.

Dead and Decaying Matter

Crickets do not have a preference when it comes to food. They will eat whatever they can find, whether that is fresh or dead and decaying matter. Crickets also enjoy eating some of the nastier things we humans throw away such as garbage and rotting plant life

Wood

Crickets are one of the few insects that can eat and digest wood. They also love to munch on delicious fungi growing in it, making chopped logs their favorite place to hide from predators!

Different Species of Cricket And Their Diets

What Do Camel Crickets Eat?

Camel crickets are a species of cricket that is wingless. They can grow to more than an inch in size, but most are less than one inch. The appearance of the insect closely resembles grasshoppers and they have six legs with two antennae on their heads.

The diet of camel crickets is a varied mix. These insects can eat just about everything but they are found most of the time eating fungi growing in damp places. Inside a home, the camel crickets could be attracted to feeding on carpets, curtains, furniture fabric, and clothes. Crickets also have a cannibal side to their diet, and are capable of devouring fellow crickets when needs arise!

What Do House Crickets Eat?

House crickets are yellowish-brown in color and have similar eating habits to field crickets. Fishermen sometimes use crickets as bait for fishing, but they can also be used to feed household pets such snakes, mice, lizards, or iguanas. 

House crickets feast on plants, and a wide array of insects ( alive and dead) including other crickets from similar species. They can also be found feeding on paper goods and clothing.

What Do Field Crickets Eat?

These types of cricket are found in many different areas including forests, lawns, and in tall grassed areas. Field cricket is omnivorous. Its diet consists mostly of plants, decaying matter, and fungi. The crickets can also eat vegetables and fruits if available. If food is scarce, a field cricket will eat other insects, dead or alive. This type of cricket is said to be beneficial for the environment because they eat pupae and eggs of different pests thereby helping with the prevention of crop destruction.

What Do Giant Crickets Eat?

Malta, Sicily, and North Africa are the only places on Earth where there is a type of large cricket called giant crickets. These crickets have big heads with strong jaws that allow them to burrow into the soil near streams or rivers for protection from predators. The armored legs protect them as they dig in search of food!

Armoured bush crickets are the ultimate omnivores. These creatures will eat plants, other insects, and bird nestlings-sometimes all three at once!

Crickets Food FAQs

Do Crickets Eat Ants

Yes, crickets eat ants. They are known to lurk around ant nests and feast on the vulnerable young ones first. As crickets are omnivores, they will pretty much devour anything they can get access to – plants, insects – alive or dead!

Do Crickets Eat Mosquitoes

No – although mosquitoes are insects (which crickets are known to eat most of), there is no known evidence of crickets eating mosquitoes.

Do Crickets Eat Clothes?

Crickets are not known to eat clothes as a standalone food source. However, if there is a food stain or even body soil on unclean clothes, crickets will be attracted to eating them. Whilst feasting on this residue on the clothes, crickets can inadvertently eat threads of cloth which will leave a small hole. Generally, these holes become larger over time and may look like the cricket has eaten more than it actually has!

What Do Crickets Drink

Crickets drink water. If you have crickets as pets, then it is best to provide them with fresh water or tap water. Remember to replace the water every few days to avoid a smelly living environment for the crickets.

How Do Crickets Eat Food?

Crickets are fascinating creatures that use their little hands to feed themselves. They come equipped with two special mouthparts called palps, which work in a way not unlike human fingers and thumbs used together. The very first thing they do after finding food is poking it with one of these tiny appendages before feeling around for the best place to start chewing on it.

What Does Gut Loading Mean?

Gut loading crickets to feed your pet is an easy way of making sure they are getting the right nutrients. Crickets provide healthy and sustainable food for any insectivore, but gut loading them will ensure that you’re providing the best quality meal possible!

Cricket owners should feed their insects a variety of foods that will not only make them more delicious but also provide the cricket with essential nutrition. Rice, cereal, and squash are some easy-to-find food items for these critters!

Some people like to add some flavor or color by adding fish flakes, vegetables and even tropical fruits such as bananas can be given occasional treats.

Even though getting the crickets to eat nutritious foods may seem like a hassle, it actually means that you are providing your pet with high-quality food.