Camel Cricket Information
Camel crickets are usually light tan to dark brown in color and are so named due to their humped back, according to the website Ask The Exterminator. They have long spider-like legs, and adult camel crickets have no wings so they do not chirp. They're not always harmful, but they can become pests in the right circumstances.
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Habitat
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Camel crickets, also known as cave crickets, like dark, cool, damp areas such as under stones or logs, according to the University of Minnesota Extension website. They are not drawn to light. Camel crickets seek areas in homes that are similar to their outdoor habitat. Dark areas such as basements appeal to the camel cricket. Outdoors they feed on plant debris whereas indoors they prefer paper products as opposed to fabrics.
Problems
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Extreme weather conditions (hot, dry weather or excessive rainfall), are ideal conditions for the camel cricket, according to the North Carolina State University website. Camel crickets are drawn to areas around the house that provide darkness--such as crawl spaces, garages and storage buildings. Indoors they like high-moisture areas such as laundry rooms and bathrooms. Because camel crickets do not chirp, they are not as easy to locate for extermination. An indication of camel crickets would be dark fecal smears on surfaces like floor joists.
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Damages
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Camel crickets are generally no more than a nuisance, but they can become destructive if left untreated, according to the N.C. State's ces.nscu.edu website. Because they are more drawn to dark spaces, they can often be found in storage buildings or places. When their natural food sources are not available, they will turn to linens and garments to feed upon if left unchecked for long periods of time. Long-term solutions to prevent entry into these areas or get rid of an infestation are advisable.
Preventative Measures
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Prevention is one way to deal with camel crickets, with the objective being to not allow access to your house in the first place, according to N.C. State's ces.ncsu.edu website. Make sure all areas of entrance to your house are well-sealed and caulked. These areas include clothes dryer vents, soffits, gaps or open spaces around the foundation, doors and windows and where air conditioning or heating vents or plumbing lines pass through the foundation of the house. Try to keep moisture in the house to a minimum and weather-strip along the bottom of outside access doors and the garage door. The use of sticky boards behind appliances and in corners can also be beneficial.
Extermination
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If camel crickets do gain access to your house, common aerosol insecticides are effective when sprayed around appliances and baseboards, according to the Ask The Exterminator website. The use of insecticidal granular baits placed around the house perimeter and in crawlspaces can also be quite effective, according to the ces.nscu.edu website. County extension services can help you with pest control information. In some cases, a licensed company is the most effective way to rid you of these pests.
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