Spider Crickets

Spider Crickets

Spider crickets are insects known by many names. Common names for these insects include cave wētā, cave crickets, camelback crickets, camel crickets, Hogan bugs, spider crickets (sometimes shortened to "criders", or "land shrimp" or "sprickets"), and sand treaders. Most are found in forest environments or within caves, animal burrows, cellars, under stones, or in wood or similar environments. All species are flightless and nocturnal, usually with long antennae and legs. More than 500 species of spider crickets exist.

The well-known field crickets are from a different superfamily (Grylloidea) and only look vaguely similar, while members of the family Tettigoniidaemay look superficially similar in body form.

Cave Crickets

Most cave crickets have very large hind legs with "drumstick-shaped" femora and equally long, thin tibiae, and long, slender antennae. The antennae arise closely and next to each other on the head. They are brownish in color and rather humpbacked in appearance, always wingless, and up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long in body and 10 cm (3.9 in) for the legs. The bodies of early instars may appear translucent.

As their name suggests, cave crickets are commonly found in caves or old mines. However, species are also known to inhabit other cool, damp environments such as rotten logs, stumps and hollow trees, and under damp leaves, stones, boards, and logs. Occasionally, they prove to be a nuisance in the basements of homes in suburban areas, drains, sewers, wells, and firewood stacks.

Camel Cricket

Camel crickets' distinctive limbs and antennae serve a double purpose. Typically living in a lightless environment, or active at night, they rely heavily on their sense of touch, which is limited by reach. While they have been known to take up residence in the basements of buildings, many camel crickets live out their entire lives deep inside caves. In those habitats, they sometimes face long spans of time with insufficient access to nutrients. Given their limited vision, camel crickets often jump to avoid being eaten by predators. Camel crickets are primarily scavengers, eating plant, animal, and fungi material. Although they look intimidating, they are completely harmless.

Sprickets

Spricket is another name for the camel cricket. You can probably guess how it got this name, that combines “spider” with “cricket.” People often misidentify these crickets as jumping spiders because they have very long legs, long antennae and humped back give the initial impression of a large spider. The camel cricket is a mottled light and dark brown in color and ranges from ½ to 1-1/4 inches, although its long legs make it appear bigger.

The more common name for this insect is camel cricket, again because of the humped-up back. It’s related to the dark, and more familiar, field cricket that also occasionally gets into homes in the fall. One of the main differences in habits between the two is that the camel cricket is blessedly silent – no chirping! It is also wingless – no flying.

How To Get Rid Of Spider Crickets

While they aren't poisonous or dangerous in any way, spider crickets are nuisance household pests that your home's better off without. These dreadful pests thrive in moist environments such as damp basement and crawl spaces, also known as cave crickets, cave weta, camel cricket, and camelback cricket. They’re voracious eaters that will virtually forage just about anything, be it wood, cardboard, carpet, and even each other.

How exactly do you get rid of these unwanted creatures? They’re creepy to encounter because they're fairly large bugs that are ferocious-looking and seem to be all legs and antennae, but if you're looking to get rid of spider crickets, contact us today!