Common Problems Camel Crickets Cause

Do you like trivia questions? Here's one for you. What looks like a spider, enjoys hiding on the dark walls of your cellar, and can leap several feet directly at you? If you said, a camel cricket, you are exactly right! Their spider-like appearance has led many to call them spider crickets or sprickets, and their love of cold, damp, hard walls, has caused others to name them cave crickets, but the camel cricket goes by many names. Its scientific name is ceuthopilus spp., which is in the family rhaphidophoridae. For the purposes of this article, we'll just call it the camel cricket--given because of its humped back.

Identification

First, let's make sure you have camel crickets in your home, and not some other kind of cricket, spider, or bug. Camel crickets are insects, so they have six legs--not eight, like a spider. Those legs are thin, and the knee joints point upward. This can make them look like spiders when you see them on a wall, or on the floor of your basement. Count the legs to make sure you're not looking at spiders. It also helps that the back two legs have a cricket-look to them.

Camel Cricket Problems

If you have camel crickets, there are a few things you can expect these insects to do inside your home. Here is a quick list.

• The problem most people have with camel crickets is just that these insects are creepy. When they come into a home, they can come in large numbers. If they get into common areas or bedrooms, they can be irritating to have around, especially when they wake you up at 3 in the morning. While camel crickets don't chirp, they can crawl on you or jump on you while you're sleeping. And some would say that is far worse than chirping.
• Camel crickets have quite a list of dietary staples. In nature, their preference is mold, algae, and fungus, but they will also eat plants and other insects. When they get into a home, they can be found in areas that are moist because these areas will have mold, algae, and fungus for them to feed on. But, what truly makes them unwanted pests is their attraction to chewing on fabrics. Some species of camel cricket will leave holes in clothing, curtains, bedding, and other items made with fabric.
• As mentioned above, camel crickets leap at people. This is a self-defense mechanism that helps these crickets to scare off predators. If you have a bad heart, it is probably best to not have camel crickets in your home.

Camel Cricket Control

Your home is actually not the ideal environment for camel crickets. These insects would much rather be outside. But, when conditions are dry and hot outside, they'll look for ways to get inside. Here are 4 ways you can control these accidental invaders.

• If you have a moist basement, cellar, or crawl space, adding a dehumidifier can make things dry and uncomfortable in your home. This may drive those crickets back out.
• Do a detailed inspection of your exterior walls and foundation and seal any entry points you find. This will prevent more crickets from getting in while you're trying to deal with the crickets that have gotten in.
• Getting rid of camel crickets inside a home is tricky. While you may be able to get some of them with a vacuum and catch some with sticky traps, complete extermination is a process best accomplished by a professional. Camel crickets are able to get into wall voids and other locations that you can't reach. Pest control technicians have methods and products that address this complication and through a process of inspection, treatment, and monitoring, they will be able to fully arrest the issues.

Camel crickets don't bite, and they are not known to spread diseases to humans, but they can damage your belongings and give you quite a jump scare. If you're in our New York service area, and you're struggling with camel crickets, let Thomas Pest Services give you a hand with a one-time solution or ongoing pest service that will make your home a pest-free zone. No home is better with bugs. Go bug-free, starting today.