Camel Crickets
Summary: Camel crickets do not chirp so you do not know they are present. They like to linger in dark, damp places. If they are in your home, your clothes and carpets may be at risk.
Camel crickets derive their name from the humpback appearance of their bodies. They have long antennae and long, thin legs, similar to those of a daddy longlegs spider. They are usually light tan to dark brown in color.
Camel crickets, also called cave or humpback crickets, are typically ½ inch to 1-½ inches long. The main difference in appearance between camel crickets and other types of crickets is that adult camel crickets do not have wings.
How can you tell if the crickets in or around your home are camel crickets? Well, camel crickets do not chirp. So, if you are hearing chirping
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from the crickets, you most likely have been paid a visit by field crickets. You are unlikely to know you have camel crickets until you uncover one while searching the depths of a seldom-visited basement room. Camel crickets enjoy spending their time in dark, damp places and do not chirp, so they can live in a house unnoticed for long periods.
Camel crickets inhabit moist areas outdoors in places like stacks of firewood, stones, logs, and caves. They will also hide under places that provide good coverage such as beneath porches, inside sheds, and in patches of ivy.
Camel crickets cannot reproduce indoors unless they are exposed to moisture for a significant period of time. Female camel crickets lay their eggs in the soil in early spring. These eggs hatch into nymphs.
Camel crickets feed on leaf debris, paper products, and even fabrics like linens and furs. They will typically eat any kind of decaying organic matter. They become pests to humans in times of extreme weather conditions such as excessive rainfall or long periods of hot, dry weather. Because they love moist and humid areas, you can expect to see them any place where moisture is available.
Camel crickets will not cause much damage to your home unless they are permitted to live inside for long periods. If you do not act quickly to get rid of them, they may feed on clothing or linen stored in boxes in garages or basements. Camel crickets cannot bite or sting, but it is always best to deal with the infestation problem sooner rather than later.
Here are some tips for keeping camel crickets out of your home:
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Seal any gaps or cracks in windows, doors and the foundation of your home.
Tightly apply weather-stripping to the bottom of garage doors and entryways.
Keep boxes off of the ground and away from corners to make inspections easier.
Eliminate moisture inside as much as possible, especially in humid areas such as your garage, crawlspace, basement or other storage areas.
Make sure water flows away from the outside foundation of your home. Water accumulating against foundation walls may allow water to seep through foundations providing the necessary moisture and humidity required by these crickets. Installation of drainage may be required to achieve this.
Keep mulch at least one foot away from the foundation of your home.
Avoid putting shrubs or ground cover near the foundation of your home.
Avoid storing firewood against your house or underneath decks.
Place glue boards in corners and behind appliances to trap camel crickets.
If you discover camel crickets inside your home, any of the common aerosol insecticides can be used on baseboards or behind appliances. If discovered outdoors, insecticide granular baits can be used around the perimeter of your home. Chemical sprays are useful on the foundation, vents, and door thresholds. Handling pesticides is always an issue. A licensed pest control company can provide this service and eliminate the need to store unused pesticides.
For more cricket articles please click here .
Comments
Erin
17 Nov 2009, 15:13
17 Nov 2009, 15:13
I am shocked to find out how many other families are suffering with these
disgusting bugs! I have had the exterminator out 3 times in the last few
months, the problem with that is for the few days after he treats, they
come back in full force and begin to invade my first & second floors
besides the basement where they began. I'm seeing a lot of you say you
"collect" them on glue boards. I honestly think I would gag to death if I
have to discard the glue board and there are a ton of these crickets on
it!! My worst fear is that they touch or "jump" onto my 20 month old son,
my husband or myself. What do we use to seal the foundation??? Silicone?
Something that can withstand rain/snow. Any suggestions??
Trish
17 Nov 2009, 18:04
17 Nov 2009, 18:04
I just moved to Maryland and there are tons of these camel crickets in our
yard. We've been using the vaccume wand to suck up these critters & it
seems to be working rather well, not only does it catch them quickly, but
it also kills them.
Edwardo
18 Nov 2009, 02:00
18 Nov 2009, 02:00
I've read almost every comment here and I understand the exterminator's
advice. The only mystery for me is we have a very dry house. The basement
never gets truly damp, and there is a dehumidifier down there taking
moisture out of the air. We have forced hot air heat so if anything we've
always thought the upstairs needs a humidifier for the winter.
Anyway, this year I'm seeing these in the family room. There is an unused fireplace there and although no reason to think it is damp, I'm thinking that's the source. The family room is on a slab but I swear we don't have any water problem around the house. It's well drained sandy soil.
Are you saying a baseboard insecticide won't kill them? I seem to be finding one a night now.
The vacuum hose is a good way to catch them up.
Anyway, this year I'm seeing these in the family room. There is an unused fireplace there and although no reason to think it is damp, I'm thinking that's the source. The family room is on a slab but I swear we don't have any water problem around the house. It's well drained sandy soil.
Are you saying a baseboard insecticide won't kill them? I seem to be finding one a night now.
The vacuum hose is a good way to catch them up.
Garland
18 Nov 2009, 13:26
18 Nov 2009, 13:26
I have read every comment here and I am so glad to find that I am not alone
with my feelings towards these bugs! I have water that collects under my
deck and I believe these monsters have found a breeding spot. I found one
in my laundry room two days ago and then another headed up my basement
steps this morning. I AM DECLARING WAR ON THESE HIDEOUS CREATURES!!! I'm
double sealing the walls in my garage, spraying my baseboards and carpet
corners, laying down sticky traps, spraying outside poison, and working on
eliminating my sitting water problem! These things are nasty looking and
if they're not going to help with the mortgage, then they have to go!!!
Charlie
19 Nov 2009, 09:45
19 Nov 2009, 09:45
I live on Long Island and like everyone else I have just started with these
freaks of nature in my basement. I have come to really hate these aliens
and use my hockey stick to kill them when I get them in open space. They
have turned me into a crazy hunter in my own house and I not only kill them
I squish the hell out of them. Anyone come up with a good poisen??
Susan
20 Nov 2009, 01:51
20 Nov 2009, 01:51
I havent stopped cracking up yet!! Like everyone else here I am freaking
out!!! I have most of my clothes hanging in the basement,so I am very
worried about that, now that I hear they like to eat clothes!! When I first
saw one I had a Heart Attack!! I thought it was a HUGE SPIDER at first
glance!!! I have many kitties, so if and when one of them thinks about
venturing up from the deep deep dark dark deep dark basement they have a
Big Surprise!!! LOL.. however, I am very disappointed that there is NO EASY
WAY to kill and/or get rid of these creatures!! I currently rent, so good
luck trying to get the landlord to spend a small fortune to get rid of
bugs.. If I ever find something that works I will be sure to share it with
my fellow heart attack victims!!!
pat
20 Nov 2009, 12:43
20 Nov 2009, 12:43
i have these gross bugs in my basement too! i have a crawl space under an
existing part of the house. the hose is on the outside in that same area.
what i have decided to do is close up this small window hole and get one of
those fog bombs and put it in there. hoping that will do the trick and then
to deflect the hose drippings away from the foundation. also i heard here
that ant spray helps , i am going to spray that on the affected area. i
dont care if it kills the grass, i just want to get rid of these bugs. the
cat catches them and she tortures them by pulling off 2 legs so they cant
walk and guess who has to clean them up.:) oh by the way, dont squish
them, they stain the carpets. i have noticed these things the past 2
winters.
Les
20 Nov 2009, 14:07
20 Nov 2009, 14:07
Hope this helps:
In our house, when these critters which were initially only in the garage and basement started migrating upstairs into the house (kitchen, living and bed rooms), I carefully analyzed all possible entries and concluded that it must be the air conditioning (and heating) floor registers (vents). I was right. I lifted the floor register in the kitchen and found a couple lurking there. I covered all the registers with mosquito netting. I cut the netting and taped it neatly it to all the registers (netting on apparent side and duct tape on the underside) so it is practically not noticeable. Before I put the registers back in place, I sprayed each opening with Raid. I no longer find the buggers upstairs, especially since I emptied, fogged, aired and re-installed the bedroom as well.
If taping mosquito netting to the registers is too much work, it is possible to buy "air filters" (from Lowes, for example) that fit in the registers. These filters are meant to clean the air entering the room, but also block the passage of any beasts, so you kill birds with one stone as they filter the Raid you may have sprayed into the opening and you won't need netting.
By the way, I also fogged and aired the garage and basement. I'm sure I haven't elminated the problem entirely, but at least I hope to keep them from visiting upstairs again.
Good luck.
In our house, when these critters which were initially only in the garage and basement started migrating upstairs into the house (kitchen, living and bed rooms), I carefully analyzed all possible entries and concluded that it must be the air conditioning (and heating) floor registers (vents). I was right. I lifted the floor register in the kitchen and found a couple lurking there. I covered all the registers with mosquito netting. I cut the netting and taped it neatly it to all the registers (netting on apparent side and duct tape on the underside) so it is practically not noticeable. Before I put the registers back in place, I sprayed each opening with Raid. I no longer find the buggers upstairs, especially since I emptied, fogged, aired and re-installed the bedroom as well.
If taping mosquito netting to the registers is too much work, it is possible to buy "air filters" (from Lowes, for example) that fit in the registers. These filters are meant to clean the air entering the room, but also block the passage of any beasts, so you kill birds with one stone as they filter the Raid you may have sprayed into the opening and you won't need netting.
By the way, I also fogged and aired the garage and basement. I'm sure I haven't elminated the problem entirely, but at least I hope to keep them from visiting upstairs again.
Good luck.
Debi
20 Nov 2009, 19:00
20 Nov 2009, 19:00
This is too funny and I'm glad I'm not the only one! No one around here
hasn't a clue what I'm talking about! I've tried describing them as a
frogs head with cricket legs, all that I got was strange looks, until I
found them on the web about a month after they invaded my basement about 2
years ago. My daughter discovered one taking a ride on our printer catridge
while fixing a paper jam...oh the shrill! The usually stay in the basement
but every now and then they must hitch a ride upstairs. As I was preparing
to exit the shower one day I got the surprise of my life when one was
looking right at me sitting beside my towel..my husband thought I was being
murdered..I don't know about you but creep crawlies are one thing, but
creepy crawlies when naked is a total different ball game! Too funny..I'm
not afraid of them anymore, they're just annoying. Oh and my youngest uses
the broom method of terminating these ugly buggers! Going to try the Tide
and sticky traps, will let you know how it goes! Good Luck everyone...
Dustin
23 Nov 2009, 00:03
23 Nov 2009, 00:03
I used to be terrified of these things but after seeing at least one a
day... they don't bother me anymore (especially now that I have long pants
on). Since i live in the basement, they DO, however, scare the crap out of
my guests... which is the larger problem.
What I do is I tire them out. I can herd them around with a tiny piece of a paper towel (about the size of an index card). After about 10 jumps, they tire out. I grab them without fuss and toss them into the toilet for flushing.
Although, I've been doing this for over a year now and the problem has gotten worse with winter approaching. I'm going to try the tide in the water trick because I too have noticed that they love water. Often times I see them in my shower.
I'm also going to try the mosquito net over my vents (I have a total of 3). I have a belief that that's one possible entry way.
The problem that I have is that I have a partially finished basement. We have a storage room that is full of crap that would be in a garage. There's no way I can find the true location of where these things are coming from.
My greatest hope was to find some kind of fumigation or dust I can sprinkle around the perimeter of the room. The problem with fumigating is that I sleep in the basement! I certainly don't want to poison myself in the exterminating process. I've heard that Sevin Dust works well but I don't think that's indoor friendly.
For now, laundry detergent in water. I'm also going to mop up any excessive water from the shower (and spray my shower with chemicals after using). Then mosquito nets over vents. If both attempts fail... God help me.
What I do is I tire them out. I can herd them around with a tiny piece of a paper towel (about the size of an index card). After about 10 jumps, they tire out. I grab them without fuss and toss them into the toilet for flushing.
Although, I've been doing this for over a year now and the problem has gotten worse with winter approaching. I'm going to try the tide in the water trick because I too have noticed that they love water. Often times I see them in my shower.
I'm also going to try the mosquito net over my vents (I have a total of 3). I have a belief that that's one possible entry way.
The problem that I have is that I have a partially finished basement. We have a storage room that is full of crap that would be in a garage. There's no way I can find the true location of where these things are coming from.
My greatest hope was to find some kind of fumigation or dust I can sprinkle around the perimeter of the room. The problem with fumigating is that I sleep in the basement! I certainly don't want to poison myself in the exterminating process. I've heard that Sevin Dust works well but I don't think that's indoor friendly.
For now, laundry detergent in water. I'm also going to mop up any excessive water from the shower (and spray my shower with chemicals after using). Then mosquito nets over vents. If both attempts fail... God help me.
carol
24 Nov 2009, 10:56
24 Nov 2009, 10:56
Yup....no one knew what I was talking about when I starting seing those
things! I called them "jumpers" didnt know what to call them I thought
they were jumping spiders!!! I was walking outside in the back and
something jumped up at me! It did scare me at first. I wasnt going to let
it get the best of me. Got a broom. Tried to get it....it kept
jumping...hard to get. But I did get it. Then I saw it....no spider. What
the was it? No idea. The next night...outside...there were 30 of them on
the fireplace!!! OMG!!!! little ones big ones...nasty!!!!I got the broom,
tried to get as many as I could. So, I was on a mission every night to see
how many I could get every night. I then went down to the finished
basement...put light on...OMG! there were 5!!!! Got them all!!!
Tell me, is there a time of year they are not around?
Tell me, is there a time of year they are not around?
Marc
25 Nov 2009, 08:42
25 Nov 2009, 08:42
Just moved in my new house and have found that these little buggers were
living here before me. Everyone is telling their stories, but has anyone
gotten rid of them completely. I hear they eat cloth and I just got a pool
table in our finished basement where I found them. Has any professional
exterminator worked for you?
Artie
26 Nov 2009, 13:05
26 Nov 2009, 13:05
I started finding them in my bathroom about 4 years ago when I first moved
in. Never experienced anything like these bugs before. I went into the
crawlspace to investigate and found under the bathroom what appeared to be
a colony of these gross animals quietly looking at me in the glare from a
halogen light. Crawled back out and got several cans of high-velocity wasp
killer and started blasting away. Made me feel real good. However, they
have again returned. Tough bastards. I will prevail if it takes nuclear
fallout to kill all of them. Can't stand them.
Anthony
27 Nov 2009, 04:16
27 Nov 2009, 04:16
I have a problem with these bugs as well. I live in the basement and I have
noticed that keeping a fan on all day on high in my room also cuts down on
the number of them in my room pretty sharply. It's not the best thing for
your electricity bill, but it works for small areas. I'm going to buy a
dehumidifier and try that as well for the main basement area and
glueboards... and if that doesn't fix it then I'm just going to buy a flame
thrower. These things are impossible to kill off... I usually find at least
1 a day, sometimes up to 5.
Kathie
28 Nov 2009, 22:37
28 Nov 2009, 22:37
I have lately seen a couple of these monsters in the basement. I am 52
years old and have never seen one before. We do have a bit of moisture in
the basement and they do seem to reside in the laundry area. Today I tossed
something at one and it jumped about 10 ft across the basement. I mentioned
it to my husband and he hasn't seen them yet. He will tomorrow because if
he wants me to continue to do laundry, he will get rid of them. We live in
Northern Ky.. I read quite a few comments regarding Ky. These things are
gross. Yuck!
matt
30 Nov 2009, 00:10
30 Nov 2009, 00:10
these horrible things! i have been seeing them for a long while now. no one
beluieved me when i said i saw these huge ugly things in the basement. but
now they are on my main floor, and i cant have that. i hate bugs. the only
good bug is a dead bug. there is no way im guna put it outside. if its in
my house, its a gonner. now that i know what they are, and that many people
have the same problem i do, im actually more upset as i feel there will be
no end to the madness. but i will win this war.
Rob
02 Dec 2009, 22:57
02 Dec 2009, 22:57
im starting to sleep in my basement and these things just keep poppin up
everywhere i havent really seen any big ones yet but i usually throw a
couch pillow at them and get them before they jump but some are too quick
Tania
04 Dec 2009, 18:14
04 Dec 2009, 18:14
I live in southern Connecticut and have had these jumping monsters in our
boiler room for about 5 years. We have 2 sump pumps in the basement to
catch the water because our backyard is a rock ledge. We've had the pumps
for about 30 years but the monsters have only been here for the past 5
years. They are extremely scary and intimidating. I too will try the glue
pads and the bowl of water and detergent but will also put netting over the
sump pump holes to deter them. We only get them starting in November thru
March every year.
Of course my husband will have to collect the bodies as I put these glue strips down because I won't go near them.
Of course my husband will have to collect the bodies as I put these glue strips down because I won't go near them.
Macy
06 Dec 2009, 00:52
06 Dec 2009, 00:52
I have had these things in the basement since i moved here 8 years ago. we
let them be and we have never had any problems with damages or anything and
they just do there thing. i think they are kinda cute in a really ugly way.
Terri
07 Dec 2009, 10:59
07 Dec 2009, 10:59
I live in Illinois (near a nuclear power plant) and first noticed these
wierdos about 5 years ago.... talk about suspecting mutants! But since
they moved in, the "regular" crickets have all but disappeared, so I guess
that's the silver lining. Last night, though, one gave my quite a start in
my kitchen sink! I'm going to try all the previously mentioned
extermination methods..... well, except for the flame-thrower!
Naiomi
08 Dec 2009, 21:26
08 Dec 2009, 21:26
Holy CRAP these things SUCK! I have a guinea pig and I found one tonight
near her and I FREAKED. I live in a studio apartment on a concrete slab, so
my space is limited. I hope I dont get MORE NOW!
It has been VERY RAINY. I hope they GO AWAY once all of this rain stops... I asked my landlord to have the bugman come, but I'm afraid after reading from you all, that it will not help!
Good luck everyone, I hope you all find success killing these mongrels!
It has been VERY RAINY. I hope they GO AWAY once all of this rain stops... I asked my landlord to have the bugman come, but I'm afraid after reading from you all, that it will not help!
Good luck everyone, I hope you all find success killing these mongrels!
Robin
09 Dec 2009, 20:38
09 Dec 2009, 20:38
Now that the tears are done from laughing my but off from reading these.
It is so funny that these things are just getting noticed. I'm sure they
are prehistoric and have been living here for about a million years before
us. I asked my husband to kill a huge one that was looking at me from on
the wall and intead he caught it under a glass and left it on the counter
for the whole family to enjoy. Have always seen one or two in the basement
but this year they seem to have had a population explosion. Now they are
coming up to the main and upper floor. Why?
Joe
09 Dec 2009, 22:09
09 Dec 2009, 22:09
I have had these things for the past 6 years too. My lower level consists
of a boiler room, a family room and another room that was a bar. I
renovated the family room in 2001 and put up new drywall and installed new
windows, but didn't touch the bar or boiler room. I thought these things
were coming from the boiler room and in through the louvered door so I
taped a screen over the louvers, but they still came back. Finally, after
years of vacuuming them up I finally got fed up and decided to tear apart
the bar. After ripping off the old wood paneling, I found 17 of them,
alive and scurrying up the walls. I sucked them up and tore the rest of
the room apart. I stripped it down to the cinderblocks and found out that
the window was not sealed properly. I finally found the culprit and
installed a new window and sealed up any space with foam sealant, I must
have gone through 10 cans, just to be safe. It's been 2 weeks and I have
not seen any at all. The point is that you can de-humidify your basements
and put down glue traps, but you need to stop them from getting in. If you
have any spaces where they may be getting in, seal it up. Even if that
means tearing out drywall, windows or paneling. I know that it sounds
crazy, but it is worth it. I used to come home from work and the first
thing I did was turn on the downstairs lights and scan for these things,but
not anymore. My life is so much more relaxed now.
David
12 Dec 2009, 15:29
12 Dec 2009, 15:29
Today was my Sixteenth Battle of the Crickets. I've upped the ante each
time to no avail. With the cost of glue boards mounting, I've started
using duct tape. It works just as well and I've trapped about one thousand
over the last two months. That's right - one thousand. That doesn't cover
the hundreds that I've vacuumed. I've tried using bait under my rear deck,
having the leaves and other debris blown out, sealing screens and cracks.
Nothing has stopped it. The exterminator says that the best thing I can do
is use the glue traps. I'm convinced that they're crawling up the space
between the cedar shingles and then finding any way in. Without a doubt,
their numbers increase when it gets cold out. I'm determined to lay down
more bait near the outside foundation, under the deck in the spring to get
a head start on the battle. I don't know what else to do.
Kathryn
14 Dec 2009, 11:00
14 Dec 2009, 11:00
We have these things at my parents house and until we found what they were,
we called them "spickets" because they looked like some type of
spider-crickets! we eliminated the sitting water outside/under our house
and put out sticky traps.. they were covered! it pretty much did the job.
but just this morning one ambushed me at my boyfriends house. needless to
say i wasn't very happy about it. they're awful little things!!
Tracy
15 Dec 2009, 16:58
15 Dec 2009, 16:58
I hate the came crickets. They sit there looking at you as if they want
you to pick a fight. I have literally sat on the bed in tears because I'm
so terrified of them. I felt like i couldn't relax in my home. Finally, my
husband and i called in the big guns before i had another melt down. The
professional exterminator comes one a month and sprays around the perimeter
of our home and inside and we RARELY see one. Plus i have put glue strips
near the washing machine and anywhere else they may decide to hide. Hope
this helps. I don't know what i would have done if i didn't get
professioanl help. Also make sure you have a moisture barrier.
Matt
17 Dec 2009, 21:52
17 Dec 2009, 21:52
I see one occasionally in my basement, not a big deal, no evidence of
anything damaged. I see no reason to fear, hate, or kill them. As long as
I don't start seeing several at a time, camel crickets are fascinating to
look at. I've never had one jump AT me! I don't know if it's a boy or a
girl, so don't know whether to name it Camel or Camille. Seriously, let's
get real and learn to live with nature's strange beauty.
michelle
18 Dec 2009, 13:32
18 Dec 2009, 13:32
These things are totally disgusting and are the freakiest looking bugs I
have ever seen. I usually kill them with a broom or fly swatter and if you
miss and they jump....good luck trying to catch it. Lol!!! I just spoke
with a exterminator who came in to my work to spray and he said these
things are poisonous. Anyone hear of that?
Donna
19 Dec 2009, 15:59
19 Dec 2009, 15:59
My side is sore from laughing so hard at all the alien cricket tales!We too
have been waging war with these stealth like interlopers in our home in
Illinois for the past several years.The problem with them intensified when
our basement flooded last year. We had two sump pumps installed to
eliminate the water problem, but we can't get rid of the crickets.We use a
lot of glue traps and keep fly swatters handy in all areas of the
basement.They seem to especially love my laundry room and I learned the
hard way to always shake out any hanging clothing before I bring it
upstairs to put away.They make a distinctive plopping noise when they land
on the floor, wall, etc. I once brought my laundry basket upstairs to my
bedroom after having briefly set it (for no more than 2 seconds) on the
basement floor. I put the basket on my bed turned around and heard that
dreaded plopping noise! I totally freaked out!!! I can deal with them in
the basement but this was a whole new ballgame! Thankfully I had enough
sense to shut the bedroom door. I spent almost 3 hours trying to track that
little bugger down but I finally cornered him under my nightstand .He kept
pinging underneath it and gave his hiding spot away (not very smart on his
part). I almost felt sorry for him cowering in his hiding spot , but it was
either eliminate him, or never sleep with both eyes closed again! I have
developed almost a sixth sense about these nasty bugs and can feel whenever
one is close by stalking me!If they would only respect the basement
boundaries we could live together in harmony! My cat loves to play with
them, and is disgusting to find or step on their nasty barbed legs walking
barefoot! All he usually ever leaves are the legs, and I shudder to think
that he's eaten the rest of them!!!
amanda
28 Dec 2009, 18:42
28 Dec 2009, 18:42
I just found out we have these things in our basement. Cannot stand them.
They can jump like 6ft in the air. They must die. Have been killing 1 or
2 every day for like 7 days. Cannot take it any more. We have been trying
to find out where they are coming from, but I am afraid that they have
already infested the basement. Will go to extremes to get rid of them.
Thanks for all the advice.
Mongo
08 Jan 2010, 08:48
08 Jan 2010, 08:48
glad i'm not the only one with this problem. i'm not normally afraid of
bugs, but these freaks of nature freak me the h*ll out! there starting to
make there way up from the basement to the family room. sometimes i use the
vacuum but luckily i have a boxer that loves to kill them. i guess one good
thing is, i only see one at a time and not multiples of them at time. wish
i can find the source and kill them all!!! AHHHH I'M STARTING TO ITCH!!!
Terrsguy
10 Jan 2010, 18:06
10 Jan 2010, 18:06
Hey folks! been peein myself laughing @ all the cricket tales. We have
these little prehistoric buggers in our crawlspace-went under there today
to do some wiring and found about two hundred of em sitting quietly on the
wall waiting for the wild card game.
Fortunately I buy Raid hornet spray in bulk- so I emptied out three cans in their general direction and they didn't jump for very long!lol
Im guessing the pyro formulation of the wasp spray works on these- don't know if the residual works to keep them away, tho.
For now i'm keeping my socks on!lol
Fortunately I buy Raid hornet spray in bulk- so I emptied out three cans in their general direction and they didn't jump for very long!lol
Im guessing the pyro formulation of the wasp spray works on these- don't know if the residual works to keep them away, tho.
For now i'm keeping my socks on!lol
linda Treusch
12 Jan 2010, 00:22
12 Jan 2010, 00:22
Like so many we have camel crickets in our basement. My method of killing
these gross invaders is to simply throw a book on them before they spring
away.
If you are grossed out easily, you may want to stop here...I think they eat their own kind.
I'll stare you the details of how I became aware of this little nasty habit of theirs...having them in our houses is gross enough!
If you are grossed out easily, you may want to stop here...I think they eat their own kind.
I'll stare you the details of how I became aware of this little nasty habit of theirs...having them in our houses is gross enough!
Mary
15 Jan 2010, 18:53
15 Jan 2010, 18:53
I hate them; I really, really hate them. They are ugly bugs that choose to
live with me. They are ugly and unpredictable, and if it weren't for my cat
Ernest, I wouldn't be alive to share my tale of woe. I, like others, live
in a finished basement. Unfortunately, I rent, and I'm sure there are
plenty of holes where these uglies enter. My husband, who rescues spiders,
will even kill these prehistoric monsters. If you don't, then you have to
at least get the next one - or that one - or THAT ONE! I'm glad I found the
messages from others who suffer living with these nasty bugs; there is
reassurance is knowing I'm not the only one disgusted and, occasionally,
terrified to visit the bathroom at night. Good luck to everyone in their
quests for freedom from creepy camel crickets!
Les
22 Jan 2010, 14:00
I don't know if it's the winter that has those monsters hiding, but I haven't seen any in the past two weeks.
It's also possible that my efforts (sealing strips, fogging (lots of fogging canisters), vent netting, dehumidifying and glue pads placed around garage and finished basement) have helped.
Good luck
22 Jan 2010, 14:00
I don't know if it's the winter that has those monsters hiding, but I haven't seen any in the past two weeks.
It's also possible that my efforts (sealing strips, fogging (lots of fogging canisters), vent netting, dehumidifying and glue pads placed around garage and finished basement) have helped.
Good luck
Sara
25 Jan 2010, 07:32
25 Jan 2010, 07:32
I'm glad that I have found a place where I can rant about these disgusting
things. I had no clue what they were called so I've always called them
"Spidercrickets" I thought it fit well enough. Though I would have to say
everyone here is so much braver than me. I can take on snakes, mice, rats,
whatever. I can not do bugs of any shape, size, or color. So you can
imagine the 1st time I laid eyes on these things I was about to suffer from
a panic attack. I am only 19 and live at home with mu grandfather. I have
only seen about 2 roaming the 1st floor. And one actually crawled up from
the crack behind my bed and on to my pillow. I left to stay at a friends
house for a few days starting the night that happened. I hate these things
so much. I haven't stepped foot in my basement for months. I have always
used boxing as a form of fitness and I was planning on setting everything
up in out basement. That plan is shot because even if we do get rid of them
I still will not spend time in my basement. Yet, everything on this website
is helpful and I will relay the tips and tricks to my grandpa to help our
problem. He'll have to do it though because I can't even get close enough
to get a good look at them...let alone kill them lol.
Lisa
25 Jan 2010, 12:49
25 Jan 2010, 12:49
We live in Kansas and they have invaded my bedroom. The little door to get
to the back side of the plumbing for the bathtub is in my room and they
were coming up through there I assume. The other morning I woke up about 4
and brushed something off my face. Got up and got a flashlight and there
was one sitting on my pillow just looking at me. I was not happy and did
not sleep the rest of the morning. I bought Raid for ants and Roaches in a
nice (yeah right) lemon scent and that kills them immediately if I can
catch them and I sealed up that little door. But that was 8 days ago and I
have seen two live ones since. Not in my bedroom but still inside the
house. I have a small puppy and two cats so I can't use glue traps. Any
other suggestions?? They are the creepiest bugs I have ever seen I think.
Our neighbors said they have them too. YUCK!
Lisa
26 Jan 2010, 18:24
26 Jan 2010, 18:24
My daughters saw a few of the demons from hell in our semi finished
basement this summer. Then more, and more. Then the monsters invadeed my
bedrooms, living room etc. I finally got an exterminator because one was on
my daughters neck in her bed and she is afraid of only one thing on this
plane : CRICKETS. They were gone for a while and today there was one on a
glue trap in my kitchen. I cant take this anymore , HELP
Bob
27 Jan 2010, 16:30
27 Jan 2010, 16:30
Like many of you I was ashamed that my otherwise insect-free home had been
invaded by these creatures that were clearly the inspiration for the 4 or
more 'Alien' movies. I expect I'll find one soon with a slight resemblance
to Sigourny Weaver! Nevertheless, these 'things' seem to have a favorite
area in which they can evacuate their mini-bowels and from this hoard of
fecal matter, I can estimate the number of these bastards that go unseen.
My wife and daughters call them 'hoppy things' and it's so catchy a name,
that I've joined in. When anyone descends the steps to the basement
(always with trepidation), they sing out 'hoppy things' in expectation that
they will scatter and hide from the big, bad homeowners that will either
run when sighted or find a hard cover book to drop straight down on them
from above and make them look like a wet, pressed flower on the tile floor.
Awww, how cute.
Rox
10 Feb 2010, 18:55
10 Feb 2010, 18:55
I just found one of these "junoir" guys in my dining room carpet. I have
them in my Georgia crawl space and never really gave them much thought.
They live under the house and I live over the house. Well this guy picked
the wrong day to come up. I got out m"Green Works" Natural all-purpose
cleaner and sprayed him/her. After about thirty seconds it was dead. You
don't need to use harsh unenvironmentally chemicals to kill this creature.
I used a all natural cleaner. I also use this to kill Palmetto Bugs that
wander into my house.
Jackie
18 Feb 2010, 15:43
18 Feb 2010, 15:43
Roach baits work for me... 3-4 times a year in all corners of the
basement. Now all I see is an occasional stray.
Grace
22 Feb 2010, 09:35
22 Feb 2010, 09:35
I live in Maryland and have a colony of the camel crickets.
Last fall I went down stairs to my laundry room and there were 30 on the wall.
I have never had any damage from them.
Every now and then one of them will venture up stairs but I trap them in a bottle and take them downstairs to join the gang.
I've had an occasional one to jump on me but they don't hurt.
I call them my pets. I even have names for them.
Better having them than roaches.
Last fall I went down stairs to my laundry room and there were 30 on the wall.
I have never had any damage from them.
Every now and then one of them will venture up stairs but I trap them in a bottle and take them downstairs to join the gang.
I've had an occasional one to jump on me but they don't hurt.
I call them my pets. I even have names for them.
Better having them than roaches.
Autumn
08 Mar 2010, 15:06
08 Mar 2010, 15:06
I am Soooooo glad I found this site. I thought I was losing my mind when I
started seeing these creatures invading my basement. We had Green Anoles as
pets and fed them crickets which were fed gut load. After the anoles passed
on we started seeing these alien insects darting across the basement and
thought the crickets had escaped and mutated. I swear they conspire to gang
up on you. I tread lightly down the basement stairs with my laundry only to
be attacked by armies of them. We tried all types of insecticides and
scrubbed down the basement, but they still survive! I now own two kitties
who are more than happy to take out their hunting skills on these wretched
creatures. :)
Samantha
11 Mar 2010, 19:23
11 Mar 2010, 19:23
I have lived in my house for many years, and just this past year have i
noticed these creatures. I had no idea what they were until i looked it up.
They normally dont bother me because they stay in my basement behind the
freezer, but yesterday i lifted up a pile of clothes in my bedroom and a
huge one jumped up! I now hate them and want to get rid of every single
last one on this earth.
Katie
13 Mar 2010, 18:32
13 Mar 2010, 18:32
I moved in to a trailer and I found one when I first moved in. I dident
think much of it because the place had sat empty for a while. Then on nigth
i was getting in my cupboard to get a strain for pasta and found one in my
strainer. A really big one. I freaked out and put the pile of bouls in a
bag and put it on the pourch. A few days later I opened it and the bug was
dead. I had a freak out for months over it. Every cupobard I opened I
looked in it first. No more until the other mornning I got out of the
shower and a baby one was on my counter top. If there are babys I must have
a problem. I have glue traps dowm but have not caught any. I just want
these nasty things to go away.
Stacy
15 Mar 2010, 14:46
15 Mar 2010, 14:46
My parents have this nasty little buggers in the basement and I thought
that when I moved to my current home in DE I would be free of them once and
for all. Alas, just yesterday I was putting a DVD in to watch with my
boyfriend and I sighed a heavy sigh and told him to kill it. AND HE MISSED!
So now I have no idea where the little bastard is. I'm calling my landlord
today along with sending him an e-mail to see if we can get an exterminator
out. I pay a lot in rent to live there, I shouldn't have to see these
little creatures from hell.
Laundry detergent works best I've found from living with my parents. They had a sink next to the washer and they always got stuck in there...and they would get a Tide or Gain bath. Also, hairspray works wonders. Before I moved, I had one in my bedroom (on the second floor) while I was doing my hair, I got him mid jump.
Hope this helps.
Laundry detergent works best I've found from living with my parents. They had a sink next to the washer and they always got stuck in there...and they would get a Tide or Gain bath. Also, hairspray works wonders. Before I moved, I had one in my bedroom (on the second floor) while I was doing my hair, I got him mid jump.
Hope this helps.