Camel Cricket

Camel Crickets get their name from their humpbacked appearance, which is similar to that of a camel. They are nocturnal and very active at night, but hide during the day. Camel Crickets are found outdoors around buildings in cool, moist environments under mulch, woodpiles and leaf litter. Around the home, they can also be found underneath decks, in drainage pipes, wells, under sheds and air conditioner units.Camel Crickets are able to contort themselves, since they have “no real body structure”, thus enabling them to squeeze into even the smallest cracks to get inside your home. Camel crickets are completely harmless. They do not sting or bite and are not known to carry any disease.

Characteristics

Camel Crickets have six legs

Camel Crickets have very poor eyesight

Adult Camel Crickets do not have wings

Camel Crickets feed on organic material

Camel Crickets have two very long antennae

Camel Crickets seek warm climates with high humidity

Camel Crickets are light tan and brown, about 1-1 1/4″ long

Camel Crickets are humpbacked with long, very enlarged hind legs

Camel Crickets are unable to create sound, and therefore unable to sing or chirp

When frightened, Camel Crickets leap as a defense mechanism to scare predators

Camel Crickets prefer moist, dark, and damp environments such as garages, basements and crawl spaces

Reproduction

Since adult Camel Crickets are unable to chirp, they find their mates by producing scented pheromones

Adult male Camel Crickets will try to court a female before mating in the fall by flexing, showing off their hind quarters and general masculinity

Females lay their eggs in early spring and they hatch during April and May

Camel Crickets inhabit long grasses and areas of loose soil or sand in which to lay their eggs

Prevention

Clean out your garage

Fix any and all leaky gutters

Store fire wood away from the house

Reduce areas of moisture in and around the home

Remove leaves from under your deck or around your home

Caulk around cracks, crevices and holes along the foundation of the home

Keep crawl spaces, basements and attics well ventilated reducing humidity

To deter Camel Crickets from nesting nearby, re-direct sprinkler system away from your house

Seal all possible gaps and points of entry around the structure’s foundation, especially around doors, windows and foundation cracks

Seek professional assistance and a pest prevention plan