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Cricket swarms—thousands of field crickets assembling in one location, typically around urban/suburban buildings—can be alarming. They can also be annoying. But like most annoyances, they pass with time.

Wizzie Brown, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service integrated pest management specialist in the Texas A&M Department of Entomology, said the annual phenomenon can be startling, but that it's nothing to fear and their presence is only temporary.

"These swarms happen every late summer and fall to some degree," she said. "The crickets don't sting or bite, so they're not doing anything other than being annoying, especially if a male gets into your house and is chirping to attract females."

Crickets, cool fronts and bright lights

When and where you see swarms of crickets seems patchy and random, Brown said. It is random to the degree that one location or area may see incredibly high cricket numbers one year and not see many at all the next.

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