Description
- Size: 1/2 to 1 and 1/2 inches
- Color: Tan to dark brown, often with dark bands.
- Distinctive long legs and antennae with a strongly humpbacked body.
- Wingless and do not chirp.
- Other common names include cave crickets and spider crickets.
Habits of Camel Crickets
- Primarily feed and reproduce outdoors, but are often found in homes to escape hot, dry weather and overwinter.
- Eggs are laid in the spring and hatch in April. Populations survive the winter as nymphs or adults.
- Notable ability to jump long distances.
Damage From Crickets
- Primarily a nuisance pest, but their large size and rapid jumping is often alarming.
- There have been some reports of feeding damage to clothes and lace curtains.
Look for:
- Camel crickets indoors in dark rooms, such as basements, crawl spaces, garages, and attics.
- Camel crickets outdoors in firewood piles, underneath stones, or in other moist, protected areas.
How to Control and Kill Crickets
- Reduce nearby outdoor populations by storing firewood away from the building and keeping the landscape free from debris and thick vegetation that may provide shelter.
- Prevent movement of crickets indoors by sealing cracks and entry points such as damaged door frames around the exterior of a building.
- Remove sources of moisture indoors or use a dehumidifier to make interior spaces less conducive to crickets.
- Capture and remove crickets indoors with a vacuum cleaner and glue boards.