How to Quiet a Cricket

If a wild cricket is driving you to distraction with its incessant chirping, the only non-lethal solution is to catch it and put it outside. However, if you want a captive cricket to be quiet, perhaps for a science project, there are a few tricks. Understand why the cricket is so noisy, and you will have an idea how to make it be quiet. Male crickets chirp usually chirp at night to attract mates. However, they stop chirping when they feel afraid.

Things You'll Need

  • Female crickets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the cricket's cage in a brightly lit room. Strong electric light helps convince the cricket it is daytime, and he might stop chirping.

    • 2

      Put the cage in a cool room. Crickets are quieter at lower temperatures.

    • 3

      Approach the cage, stamping your feet. The vibrations tell the cricket that a potential predator is approaching. Letting your shadow fall over the cage also sends him a warning signal impending danger.

    • 4

      Provide the male cricket with plenty of lady crickets. He might stop chirping once he no longer needs to attract a mate. If you have a tank of crickets, and the noisy cricket is in a separate cage, remove several female crickets and place them in the cage with him. Female crickets have three visible prongs at the tip of their abdomens, while males have two.