• Cave Cricket Miscellaneous

    Cave Cricket
  • Cave Cricket
  • Cave Cricket
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Elimination

Since cave crickets do not develop indoors, there is no point in applying pesticides all over the house. If you are seeing a lot of them, they are coming in from outside. It is best to find their source outside and apply Maheu&Maheu Crawling Insect Killer . You can also put a Maheu&Maheu glue trap along a strategic wall. Glue traps are an ecological alternative to pesticides. If the problem persists, we strongly recommend that you inspect the foundation and nearby structures to determine how they are getting into the house and then caulk the hole.

Actions

  • Put out glue traps inside the house.
  • Spot treat with insecticide indoors
  • Spray or treat the outside perimeter of the house with an insecticide as well as the outsides of windows and doors if a lot of insects are getting in.

Prevention

  • Get rid of any rotting organic matter around the building.
  • Seal the outsides of windows, doors, eaves, chimneys, etc. as completely as possible.

Description and development

Cave crickets (also known as camel crickets) are in the Orthoptera order, Rhaphidophoridae family. There are 150 recorded species in North America, including the spotted camel cricket, occasionally found in basements. It is easily recognized by its brown hunchbacked body, strong hind legs for jumping, and long spindly antennae. The length of these insects varies from 13 to 25 mm, depending on the species.
In the spring, the female deposits her eggs in moist soil near a food source. The eggs hatch in April or May. Young cave crickets look like small adults. They don’t have wings so they can’t fly. Unlike other members of the Orthoptera order, they also don’t «sing».

Habits

Cave crickets are omnivores that prefer organic waste and fungus, although they may occasionally hunt other insects. They are nocturnal insects that are not attracted to light. In the wild, they can be found under fallen tree trunks or rocks, in high grass, and even in caves and caverns. Basically, their preferred habitat is any cool, dark spot that maintains a high level of moisture.

These insects come inside when outdoor conditions make things uncomfortable (too hot and dry). In the home, cave crickets can live off natural fabrics and paper products. But they rarely reproduce inside because they need a high moisture environment for reproduction.

Tips

If there is dense vegetation growing near the outside walls, that may be where the cave crickets are coming from. If you are still seeing them inside, consider cutting back the vegetation or removing it altogether. Mulch also makes for a fresh, moist cricket habitat, so avoid putting down mulch against the foundation of your home.

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