Crickets are a species of insects that belong to the Orthoptera order. Crickets have always fascinated man. Some people even have crickets as pets. The most interesting thing about crickets is the sound they make. They have a unique chirp which many people find attractive.

Crickets are reared and used as bait for fishes and as food for some pets. The Chinese also use crickets in medicines. They are popularly used as a sport like cock fights. Crickets are also believed to bring luck. There are many species of crickets: house crickets, field crickets, ground crickets, cave crickets, mole crickets, snowy tree cricket and the northern mole crickets.

Crickets are very easy to raise. They can be placed in any metal container like a garbage can. The inside of these containers should be smeared with mineral oil or any other greasy substance to prevent the crickets from escaping. Crickets need a minimum temperature of 80 F. Warmer temperatures help crickets to grow faster. Stale bread, powdered dog food, cornmeal, poultry mash and fruits and vegetables like apple, banana, lettuce and cabbage may be provided to the crickets as food. Water supply also has to be sufficient. Place cotton in the water container to prevent young crickets from drowning.

Live crickets can be kept in plastic containers or glass jars. The container has to be covered with wire screen or muslin. Spread a layer of about four inches of brick sand at the bottom of the container, and then add another layer of coarse wood shavings. This will keep the small crickets safe from the bigger ones. Another small container can be filled with moist sand and placed within the larger container to act as an egg-laying site.

There are a few things to consider while rearing live crickets: keep the material at the bottom of the cage dry; remove the dead crickets immediately and keep the cage clean; transfer the egg-laying containers to another container regularly in order to keep crickets of the same size together; avoid keeping wild crickets as these may carry some diseases; do not use insecticides near the live crickets; ensure that ants and other pests do not enter the cage. Crickets breed well in temperatures ranging between 80 and 90F. Artificial heat can be maintained within the container by suspending a light bulb into the container. Newly hatched crickets should be separated from the adults to prevent them from being eaten.