| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Orthoptera |
| Superfamily: | Rhaphidophoroidea |
| Family: | Rhaphidophoridae |
The name “camel cricket” comes from the fact that these insects have a humped back like a camel. This type of cricket is also known as a cave cricket or a spider cricket. It lives in caves and damp, cool places like under damp leaves, stones, and rotting logs. They are present all over the world & in the United States.
They live for about one to two years. Camel crickets don’t have organs that make sounds, so they don’t chirp. Also, unlike other species of crickets, the adults do not have wings. When they are scared, camel crickets jump with their long legs, which is the only way they have to scare away predators. Read on to learn more about camel cricket.
Types Of Camel Crickets
A camel cricket almost never does anything else but eat. Researchers think that about 90% of the time, they eat. When you compare it to other animals, that is a lot. Camel crickets are in the suborder Ensifera and are in the family Rhaphidophoridae of the order Orthoptera. Each one of them belongs to either:
- Dolichopodainae – These bugs live in the south of Europe and west of Asia.
- Gammarotettiginae – North America is home to these bugs.
- Aemodogryllinae– These bugs live in India, China, Korea, Russia, and Europe.
- Ceuthophilinae – North America is home to these bugs.
- Rhaphidophorinae – Australia, China, Japan, India, and Malaysia are home to these bugs.
- Troglophilinae – Most of these bugs can be found in the Mediterranean.
- Tropidischiinae – Canada is home to several bugs.
- Macropathinae– The Falkland Islands, Australia, Chile, and New Zealand are home to these bugs.
- Protroglophilinae – These bugs no longer exist.
Where Does Camel Cricket Live?
Camel crickets are like places that are warm and damp. You can find them in caves, but you can also find them under logs and in rotting leaves.
How To Identify A Camel Cricket
Camels and camel crickets are about the same colour. Moreover, they have a humpback shape, just like a camel. Like a grasshopper, they have long back legs. Besides, they have two extra-long antennas that are close to each other. Some say that cave crickets can grow up to 12 inches long. But most of these insects, which live for about 18 months, are only about 2 inches long (without their back legs). Moreover, the camel cricket’s legs can be almost as long as its body.
What Do Camel Crickets Eat?
In terms of diet, camel crickets eat just about anything. They will consume anything from fungi and plants to insects and even fabric. Basically, anything can be consumed by them. Camel crickets have a large appetite for their size.
How To Get Rid Of Camel Crickets
A giant camel cricket will eat your clothes and other things, so if they get into your home, you need to get rid of them as soon as possible. The first step is to figure out how they are getting in. Fix any small holes they might be able to get through. It’s often a good idea to put weatherstripping under doors.
The next step is to take charge of your home’s atmosphere. Find out why wet spots are wet if you have them. If they get into your basement, you might need to turn on the sump pump to get rid of the water. Also, running a dehumidifier when it rains could be helpful.
Clean your house really well. Cave crickets often use cardboard boxes as shelter, so get rid of any that aren’t needed. Remember that camel crickets are small enough to live under a lot of small things, so get rid of all the extra stuff.
What next?
You might want to set out traps that will catch all kinds of pests. Because camel crickets are so big, it’s best to use these traps. You might have better luck with them if you use a piece of bread or another food to attract them. Make sure to put the sticky traps where the walls and floors of the basement meeting. This is a common place for mice to hide.
Some people also ask me for does vinegar kill camel crickets. Yes, it can. Put bowls of soapy water in the places where you’ve seen crickets. They’ll try to drink it and end up drowning.
If the above tips don’t work, you might need to talk to a professional. A lot of the time, professionals use poisons that you can’t buy. So, you might want to try natural methods before bringing poisons into your home since poisons can have effects you don’t know about.
Camel Cricket Facts
- The only places camel crickets don’t live New Caledonia and Madagascar.
- Camel back crickets don’t have organs that make noise, so they can’t chirp.
- Giant camel cricket likes to live in places that are dark and damp.
- Depending on the species, these light brown crickets may have spots.
- Adult camel crickets don’t have wings, but some camel spider babies do, depending on the species.
Related: COLUGO (FLYING LEMUR)
FAQs: Camel Cricket
How Big Is A Camel Cricket?
The adults are very small. Their bodies only get 1.25 inches long as they grow up. In contrast to other species of crickets, camel crickets do not have sound-making parts on their back legs. Moreover, adults have no wings. When they are scared, their only defence is to jump.
Who Eats Camel Crickets?
These bugs were originally from Asia and Australia but moved to the U.S. in the nineteenth century. Mice, bats & moles like to eat camel crickets, which can lead to a whole other problem in your home.
What Color Are Camel Crickets?
Camel crickets are usually tan to brown and look like they have a hump on their back. They have very long, thin antennae and legs, so if you only caught a quick glimpse of one, you might think it was a spider.
Are Camel Crickets Good?
Most experts agree that camel crickets are harmless but do a lot of damage to plants. Do camel crickets bite? They aren’t dangerous because they don’t bite people and aren’t known to spread diseases or harmful bacteria, but they are invasive because they can damage things and plants inside a home.
Are Camel Crickets Poisonous?
The truth is that camel crickets do not pose any health risks to people. They don’t have teeth, so they can’t bite and aren’t poisonous or known to carry diseases. But if camel crickets get into your house, they can be a bother. Some animals can damage fabrics like curtains and clothes.
Are Camel Crickets Blind?
Some cave-dwelling species of camel crickets can’t see because they live in a place where it’s always dark, and seeing isn’t important.
How Long Do Camel Crickets Live?
They live for about 1-2 years. Camel crickets don’t have organs that make sounds, so they don’t chirp. Also, unlike other species of crickets, the adults do not have wings.
Do Camel Crickets Eat Ants?
Yes, crickets do eat ants. Camel crickets eat ants the most. Most of the time, they hang out near ant nests and eat the weakest young ones first. Crickets are omnivores insects, meaning they eat almost anything, including plants and small insects, whether they are alive or dead.
Parvaiz Yousuf is a senior SEO writer and editor with an experience of over 6 years, who also doubles up as a researcher. With an MSc zoology degree under his belt and possessing complete Search Engine Optimization (SEO) knowledge, he works as a science journalist for a US-based website and Asian Scientist (A Singapore-based magazine). He also works as Director of Wetland Research Centre, Wildlife Conservation Fund YPJK since 2018. Besides, he has several publications to his name on cancer biology and biochemistry in some reputed journals such as Nature & International Journal of Molecular Sciences, & magazines such as Science Reporter, BUCEROS BNHS, and has an abiding interest in ornithology. He also worked as a Research Associate for JK Policy Institute.
