Camel Cricket Terror

Summary: When it comes to scary insects the camel cricket makes the top ten list for many people. It’s large, it has a sickening color and they leap at you unexpectedly from dark corners. This is one person’s comments about her experience with the dreaded camel cricket.

Velika wrote Ask the Exterminator the following about her camel cricket experience.

I just saw the first one of these nasty creatures on Monday. We are remodeling our kitchen and had to have the slab foundation opened up. I went into the kitchen around midnight and there lurking on the floor was one of these things. I swear it was just sitting there watching me. When I went to scoop it up it lunged at me, so naturally, I screamed. I screamed real loud, too! Well, it scampered under the stove and I was too scared to go after it for fear it would attack me.

The next night I ventured into the kitchen again and there was Jiminy staring back at me. It felt like he was challenging me with those beady eyes, the sweeping, hyper-sensitive antennae, and those long, powerful jumper's legs. I tried to capture him again, but he must have heard or felt me getting close with the cup and scooted under a gap in the wall.

Tonight, however, it was I who emerged victorious. Again, I was heading to the kitchen when there, I saw him just hanging out on the dining room floor, lounging about. I think he was on a mission to infiltrate the rest of the house as he seems to move a little closer each day. But, he must have been a bit sleepy today. Perhaps he's not getting enough shut-eye with all the construction going on during the day because I managed to scoop him up in the cup on the first shot this time.

I was nervous as all-get-out though because he was hopping mad inside that cup. You could hear it as he flung himself against the plastic cup trying to get out. He almost did, too! Thank God, I noticed the opening I had inadvertently left between the cardboard and the cup a split second before he hurled himself at it. I managed to seal it up as I ran for the front door and shouted to my dad to open it for me.

I didn't stop running till I got all the way across the street and flung it away from me. I can't bear to hear the crunch and see the bug guts splattered everywhere. Just thinking about it makes me sick, but now I'm wondering if this critter will make his way back to my house. In fact, I am hoping it was the same mutant I saw all three times and not three different visitors.

Crickets on wall

I really don't want to think there is a nest somewhere. “Oh, no! What if he was doing reconnaissance for his battalion?” I don't know what I'd do if I woke up to find any on me. Ugh! I'm starting to get all creepy-crawly feeling. I'm itchy all over and scratching at everything and nothing, and yet it feels like something is on me. Ick!

Maybe I'll sleep with the light on tonight, just this one time. Morning can't come too soon so I can call an exterminator. Better safe than sorry because if his squadron tries to exact their revenge by jumping in my pants like one person I read about, I think I would die. Heaven forbid! In my haste to free myself, I'd probably trip over my feet and fall down on top of it and hear that squishing-squashing sound that makes me squirm.

Maybe I'd better have the contractor look around tomorrow for any potential moisture spots before I wet myself from fright with all these nightmare visions of from these skulking aliens. Just the thought that they might be behind the walls scurrying about will keep me up all night.

Why, oh, why did I read all these stories about other people’s encounters with camel crickets?!  What was I thinking? I wonder if the exterminator and contractor would mind if I called them right now.