Cricket farming for human food has grown rapidly, raising welfare questions about density, environment, and the killing methods used in commercial operations.
Cricket welfare is somewhat better studied than other farmed insects. Crickets show avoidance learning, individual recognition in some contexts, and acoustic communication that suggests social complexity. Density management is particularly important given their tendency toward aggression at high densities, which can cause injury and cannibalism. The welfare implications of high-density commercial farming deserve more systematic study. Killing by freezing causes gradual death - whether this involves suffering depends on unresolved questions about insect temperature perception and pain.