What Is a Cave Cricket?

Appearance

• The body of cave crickets fall between half an inch to 1.5 inches long. Adult cave crickets are tan to dark brown in color. However, cave cricket nymphs, or newborn camel crickets, hatch in a translucent shade. The nicknames camel cricket and humpback cricket come from the fact that the bodies of these bugs have a domed shape to them, giving a humpback appearance. The legs of cave crickets are long and thin, though the hind legs, used in jumping, have a drumstick type shape.

Habitat

• As the name suggests, cave crickets are usually found in caves across the United States. They prefer to live in areas that are dark, cool and moist. By this token, cave crickets can also be found in areas such as rotted logs and beneath damp leaves and stones. Cave crickets can also make their way indoors. They tend to stick to basement areas, where little light gets in and the air is cooler. They spend most of their lives in complete darkness, according to the Saint Louis Zoo website. The Journal of Cave and Karst Studies mentions that they dwell close to cave openings.

Behavior

• Cave crickets generally do not cause much trouble when living within a home. However, when left in a home for a longer period of time, according to Ask the Exterminator, they may begin to chew on fabric stored in a basement, such as clothing or sofa covers. As a defense mechanism, they will jump toward potential predators when confronted, including people. This maneuver is meant to scare the predator away, as cave crickets have extremely poor eyesight and lack the ability to bite or sting. Female cave crickets will lay their eggs in soil early in the spring. These eggs hatch into translucent nymphs which then darken in color.

Diet

• Cave crickets in the wild are scavengers, according to the Journal of Cave and Karst Studies. They will devour whatever is within reach that can be easily chewed, such as dead bugs, mushrooms, animal droppings and berries. When attempting to trap the crickets, E.S. Levy tested them to see how they would respond to Limburger cheese, cat food, grape jelly and peanut butter. They also will eat leaves, paper, and other decaying organic matter, according to Ask the Exterminator.

Pest Control

• Camel crickets are hard to discover in the home since they do not chirp. They will go unnoticed until seen. The Iowa State University Department of Entomology suggests sealing cracks in foundations, windows, doors and siding to prevent cave crickets from accidentally wandering in. Removing potential breeding areas, such as brick piles, stones, boards and leaves, is also recommended.