Summary: Cave Crickets are not like most crickets. They are non-chirping, people-intimidators. Cave crickets even consume their own body parts in order to survive. Kind of counterproductive, huh?
Imagine this. You go to the basement to pick up a cold one. You flip on the lights and all of the sudden you are confronted with this disgusting, vile creature. What is it? It looks like a spider, and it's rather large. Your heart starts to pump harder. You muster up the fortitude to smite your foe. So, you approach the intruder with the simple strategy of stepping on it. When all the sudden, it jumps! It jumps at you, which catches you off guard and frightens you some more. Losing you composure, you run upstairs screaming like a little girl where you are confronted by your guests expecting cold beverages. You can't disappoint them, so you go back down, armed with shin guards, shoulder pads, a hockey mask and a baseball bat. You're ready. This time, to your surprise, the monster is gone. Whew! Lucky him. You proceed with the original mission thinking all the while, what was that and where did he go?

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My friend, you have just encountered the
CAVE CRICKET, also known as the Camel cricket that sounds much less imposing. The Cave cricket looks creepy, jumps, and at times, will actually jump at you, throwing you way off guard. But, have no fear! Cave crickets are all bark and pose no real threat to humans. That is, unless you are weak of heart. Given that its natural habitat is a cave, these crickets have very poor eyesight. That is why, when approached, it will jump in your direction. It's an attempt to scare you off and many times this works.
So, here's some info you can use to identify these monsters and inform your friends when you come up from the basement empty handed. The Cave cricket is large, measuring in at two-inches on the body, and four inches for the legs! Question, why is it that long legs on anything not human scare the heck out of us? You know, spiders, cave crickets, Manute Bol. Puzzling!
Young Cave crickets are translucent, while the older ones sport a putrid brownish color. These are faces only a mother could love. They appear to be distant cousins of Quazi Motto, which would explain their humpbacked reference as Camel crickets. For the sake of horror, I shall stick to calling them the more terror-inspiring Cave crickets. They are wingless. That's a plus, but as said before, they can jump, and rather high.
The only good that the Cave cricket does, or more precisely doesn't do, is chirp. The only way you will know if you're housing them is if you see one. Sometimes, if infestations are bad enough, their smeared fecal matter will be present. Nice houseguests! Generally though, Cave crickets aren't found squatting in houses in mass numbers.
As their name implies, this cricket is usually found in caves, but really, anywhere that is dark and damp will do, including your basement. The best thing is you rarely find them anywhere else in your house. They do have poor eyesight due to their preferred environment, so their sense of touch is rather sensitive. Furthermore, caves generally are not the most nutritious environments, so the cave cricket often goes for long periods malnourished. During these periods, they have been known to feast on their own extremities in order to survive. A rather gruesome prospect, given the fact they cannot regenerate. They eat themselves alive!

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Now that I have scared you, I will tell how to deal with these monstrosities. Nobody wants the cave cricket around, or any pest for that matter. That being said, the first way to mitigate any potential problem is to eliminate inviting habitats. Cave crickets prefer cave-like surroundings, so don't have a cave-like basement. Clean up clutter, seal cracks, and ventilate moist or damp areas to start. Limiting moist spaces is paramount in the prevention process.
If you have already had your terrifying first encounter you still need to do the cleanup-thing. It's unlikely that Cave crickets have set up shop in your house. That lone cricket may be the only one present. Squashing it like any other bug does work, though they are quick, and jump high. This may prove difficult. Vacuum cleaners are effective and do much to quell the fear factor.
You can also build a trap. A cool and simple trap to make is to cut a hole in the side of a shoebox and line the inside with sticky paper or wax. After a day or so, take the box outside, lift the lid and see if you have caught any crickets.
If you find it prudent, you can always go the chemical way to rid yourself of these critters. Ant and roach sprays can be used, but have limited effects. It is best to try to control cricket populations from the outside in order to stop their migration inside, and for this, I would advise using a good emulsifiable concentrate pesticide like Conquer EC. It is mixed with water, and simply sprayed around the exterior of the house at any entry points.
So there it is. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle!
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Comments
Stevie
06 Oct 2009, 20:13
We have a few in our basement. I saw one about a month ago. It was the
size of a small saucer dish. I killed it with 1 whack, so I didn't see how
high it could jump.
BobK
07 Oct 2009, 05:41
I find them drowned in my basement toilet. It seems to me that you can trap
and kill them with buckets of water left around.
NTili
10 Oct 2009, 12:24
I believe I may have cave crickets (at least that's what a pest control
person told me after seeing a specimen I had just squashed...I have squahed
about 12 of them in the last ten days...however, I'm not sure if these are
cave crickets because they appear to have a small set of wings and when you
squash them they give off a smell.any thoughts? thanks in advance
John
11 Oct 2009, 23:27
I found one of these cave crickets in my attic, it was stuck to a glue trap
for mice. All I hear about is basements. do they like the attic environment
too? This sucker was HUGE, thought it was a mouse until I shined the light
on it.
Gina
23 Oct 2009, 19:57
We have a REAL PROBLEM with cave crickets. It has been about 4 years since
we first noticed them. I have an exterminator come a few times a year to
spray the walls in mny basement and fumeagate the crawl space area. Its an
old home and we have even gone so far as to have the basement walls
resurfaced thinging this would help, but NO. The exterminator was here 10
days ago and we are still going crazy killing them all through the house
maybe 20 a day. Can I use a BOMB in the house or what else can I do. Please
Help!!
Marie
23 Oct 2009, 22:42
I'v lived in sussex county NJ for almost 14 years now and about 4 years ago
was in bed ill when something jumped up in the air and landed right on top
of me. When I saw this THING I'd never seen before I freaked and flung it,
thinking that I must have killed it, I settled back down only to have it
fly up in the air and land on me again.I was terrified and have been now
since then. They grow in numbers every year despite exterminating
professionally and now on my own with products you can buy yourself. I've
had 4 to 5 of these huge cave crickets a night and I can't get to sleep.
Once in the shower I felt something bite me, OW, when I looked to see what
the heck it was there was a cave cricket on my calf, the rest of that story
isn't pretty.......YES they DO bite and they leave a 3 prong bite mark that
got red but didn't do anything else other than act as a reminder of my
terror in the shower for several days. We have put a dehumidify in the
basement which does help and a multitude of glue traps. All helps but
NOTHING is getting RID of them. I HATE these cave crickets and would love
to know how long they have been in NJ. Like I said I've lived in this
house for almost 14 years but have had this problem for only the past 4
years? Good luck to everyone.
Valerie
28 Oct 2009, 15:57
I've been living in N.C. on and off for about 13 years now and i never
noticed them until about 3 years ago....dad's basement. (shivers) talk
about the heebie-jeebies. :(
Gogron
28 Oct 2009, 16:55
Those hideous mutant cave crickets are everywhere in my house, mainly in my
bedroom which horrifies me beyond anything. The creatures are popping and
hopping around in my kitchen when I go in there at night, and are always
walking around in my room. I don't sleep in my room because the thought of
them crawling on me terrifies me. I'm almost nineteen and they have this
effect on me, they are scary as hell. I opened up the entry to my attic and
There was one on the pull down staircase so I armed myself with a huge
knife from the kitched and threw it at the horrible cricket-demon the knife
stuck into the staircase in the exact place the cricket was (he jumped and
dodged it) he then jumped out at me, onto my chest, so I turned around
screaming and it jumped off me onto my friend who then also attempted to
kill it. I have also witnessed these crickets cannibalizing one another and
eating other crickets remains, I have not read anyone else encountering
this, and I saw one cricket eat three others, this was gross. I hope that
my house burns down, I hate cave crickets. I am about to write song lyrics
for my death metal band because I'm making a song about cave crickets.
Deron
02 Nov 2009, 12:45
For spot killing, nothing beats a fly swatter. They dead before they
realize you're there.
I've used Raid Foggers (not bombs)and that usually gives us some relief for
a couple months. We see them sparingly.
danielle c
04 Nov 2009, 20:21
What can I use as far as chemicals, bombs, foggers, etc that will not hurt
or kill my cats?? I was attacked by 3 of them this morning when i went up
into the attic!!! We used to see them once in a while in the unfinished
yankee basement, but NOW they are in my house, on the kitchen counters and
coming from the pull down stairs into my attic. These things tormented me
growing up, and now are back to haunt me in my adult life, lol.
Kim
05 Nov 2009, 08:39
I found one cricket in my basement but i'm not sure if it's a lone cricket
or if there's more we've had them before but we got rid of all of them and
we got rid of them probably 5-3 years ago. Can you tell me whether there
might be more of them?
SqueamishWonder
05 Nov 2009, 09:53
These things freak me out! For starters, MY vision isn't the greatest, so
when you have two freaked out adversaries with different kill strategies
pitted against one another, I look like I'm doing the jig and those vile
demon crickets are jumping at me like the floor is going to give way! I
HATE THEM! I hate them I hate them I HATE THEM! I trapped one last night
with the intention of simply releasing it outside (stupid move on my part,
I know) but when I threw the plastic cup down on it I chopped off one of
its legs and felt all compassionate and subsequently blinded it with a
flashlight for a few minutes attempting to study it, then drowned it in
ammonia. (I figured that would kill it painlessly while giving me a
certain amount of pleasure and peace of mind). If it wasn't between me and
the outlet, I would have just let it go, but I had to unplug my computer so
my dad wouldn't trip over the cord in the morning coming out of his
bedroom. That is one animal/insect that I wish God would have left OFF the
ark! *shivers*
reybo
11 Nov 2009, 14:12
Could cave crickets be mutating?
When we lived on a farm in an 1880 house over a crawl space, we never saw
one. We moved 18 miles into town to a DRY, warm 1952 rancher with basement,
and discovered camelback HQ. We had ample time and examples to study them.
Over the years we saw them night after night in September shortly after
dinner suddenly appear on a particular wall of the tool shed. Then, around
8:45, they begin marching across the walls to exit the shed. From there
they cross the back wall of the garage and - with absolutely no
hole/slot/air vent to go through, they mysteriously appear OUTSIDE the
concrete garage marching across a brick wall, headed for the gap where the
brick gives way to redwood siding. A few days later they appear in the
basement for another winter. So we caulked the slot under the siding, and
murdered by spray night after night of camelbacks on the march. Since 1996
we've had central air. Not a hint of darkness or dampness in the basement.
Smaller cricket population but still here. Dropping the VHS tape of "Home
Alone" is my favored way of execution, since they jump UP into it. Wasp
spray is more certain, and neater. The basement was totally renovated last
year - new floor atop the old tiles, new gypsum walls, etc. After years of
finding and sealing the cracks and crevasses by myself, last year three of
us went over every square angstrom of the basement, and sealed it air
tight. Today when I go downstairs I will find one, maybe two dead crickets
in plain sight that were not there yesterday, and maybe one weak and dying
cricket. Just where are they coming from? Either George Herter or Earl
Proulx once told me that a dish of water with liquid soap will attract and
kill camel crickets. This winter I'm finally going to try it. Why how? I
have a granddaughter just reaching the crawling stage, and her playroom is
in the basement. Maybe Mother Nature thinks a cricket is a suitable
playmate for an infant not but me. Nah ....
ihatecavecrickets
27 Nov 2009, 22:51
My boyfriend and I have been in our house for about 8 months now. It's a
pretty old house and we've had regular black crickets come out of the walls
in the dining room and kitch once the weather became colder (around fall I
guess) and annoy us at night with their chirping but recently in the past
couple of months we have killed probably 10 or more of these cave crickets.
I find them in my kitchen at night and there always seems to be 2 of them.
Last week I saw a baby one and they seem to come out between the cabinet
and wall by our kitchen window. I'm really hoping they aren't spawning in
my kitchen or something. They jump like 4 feet high too it's so gross. I
think after reading all these other comments I'm going to try the water
trap thing and maybe invest in some chemical spray to spray around the
outside of my house because I know they have this stinger looking thing on
them and I really don't want to know what its for. These are definately the
most grossest bugs I've ever seen before. I will give an update if any of
these things work....kill em all!!!!
Connie
28 Nov 2009, 18:35
I've never seen these crickets until I married and moved into my husband's
house ten years ago. I'm used to the shiny black or brown ones that chirp
but these camel/cave crickets gross me out. Aside from the fly swatter, I
use large glue traps (ones for mice) placed throughout the basement and
they fill up in a week or so. Luckily, by end of December, I don't see them
anymore, unfortunately, until Fall again. Try the glue traps and good
luck!
Joey
30 Nov 2009, 15:58
I've been dealing with these damn things for years. As a teenager, I lived
in the basement, damp but comfortable and they would terrorize me! Jump on
my face in the night, climb onto my lamp base just so I could see 'em when
I turned the light on. They are a-holes! And thank God they don't chirp!
One time I smashed one on the floor and later saw another one eating it.
I delt w/them by drinking beer and just trying not to care. I knew that
they don't bite you. Also, since I was somewhat of a rebel then, I needed
to have distance in the house between me and my folks.
Anyway, I believe that hungry mice may eat them because we had a huge mouse
problem and no Cave Crickets for a while.
Dave
01 Dec 2009, 08:55
We live in Ringwood, NJ. I have lived around the woods my whole life and
have never seen these cave crickets until recently. We, my wife and 2
boys, are kiling an average of 2 doz a day between the garage and basement.
These things are gross and seem to be getting worse. We had one that was
2-3 inches long and it has crawled out of the slop sink drain in the garage
followed by dozen of spawn. I drained a can of RAID on to the swarm and
they still kept coming. They eventually died, but they are still coming
in. I have treated the outside of the house, the inside of the house, and
still they are coming in. Any help would be greatly appreciated...
st. Louis kat
09 Dec 2009, 23:00
These posts are CRACKING ME UP! I agree with everyone here, cave crickets
are the creepiest damn things. A couple of thoughts/ questions:
1. When you see them out of the corner of your eye on dark flooring, one
might think you've seen a mouse. scream!
2. What do they eat? We've had them for several years and I notice fewer
cobwebs in the basement.
3. I think I'm just going to deal with them by drinking beer. That has to
be the best solution I've ever heard. haha!
Long Island NY Chris
14 Dec 2009, 23:24
I've had my first encounter and it wasn't pretty - just saw 1 or 2 in
basement. Killed one. I think I need to be brave and go de-clutter my
basement. Afraid what else I'll find though. What kind of armor should I
use? Is this a problem everywhere in U.S. where there are damp basements
-- or is it mostly in the northeast where I am? Misery loves company ...
with crickets...
dina
03 Jan 2010, 21:40
I hate crickets and I canot stand them any more I need to get rid of them.
Please help.
Yvette
03 Jan 2010, 21:48
I just Moved with my husband and three kids, to a new appartment and never
in my life had crickets before coming to our house but in this new
appartment the are coming every night and making noises. My friend tells me
that a singing cricket is bad luck! is this really true? please help me how
can I have them stop coming to my house.
Karen
08 Jan 2010, 20:12
Ive found two in m basement in the last say two weeks. Should I think
there are definetely more?!? They are soooo scary!
Stella
24 Jan 2010, 15:17
I recently moved in with my parents and live in the basement and see them a
lot starting in the spring all through summer and fall and eventually they
seem to die off in the winter. I kill as many as 5 a day but then I get
lucky and don't see them for a few days. They are creepy, ugly and alien
like little monsters and really got a good laugh reading some of the other
stories. There has to a way to stop them from coming in out homes!
St. Louis Kat
24 Jan 2010, 15:45
Stella, I agree that these stories are a HOOT! Since I posted last, I've
been on a 'stomp mission', just chasing the beasts around the basement (a
beer-bracer makes this chore easier).
A singing cricket is not the same as a cave cricket. Some Asian cultures
say that it's bad mojo to kill a cricket.
Jimmy
02 Mar 2010, 14:57
This is the most awesome collection of Cave Cricket stories I've seen! We
had them really bad; the first time one jumped at me, I screamed like a
girl and threw my arms in the air so hard I pulled a muscle.
I bought a really good dehumidifier and ran a hose from the dehumidifer to
the drain so it can run as much as it likes without needing to be emptied.
Now our basement is dry as a bone and I haven't seen any of these foul
creatures since.