Spider crickets, also known as cave or camel crickets are a pretty terrifying sight. These pests are most commonly found in caves, but they can find their way into your home as well. Within your home they are most likely to be found in places that closely resemble their native conditions: Areas that are dark and moist.

If you’ve spotted spider crickets in or around your home, you may be wondering what kinds of threats they cause – as well as the best ways to ensure that they stay out of your home. Read on to learn more about the dangers that are associated with these pests, and the best ways to control them.

Spider Cricket Identification

Spider crickets are certainly intimidating in appearance. These bugs can be as large as 5 cm in length, not including their legs. Their bodies bend forward, leading to a humped appearance that has lead to them sometimes be called camel crickets. They do not have wings, but their long legs allow them to jump very high and across long distances. Once they have found their way inside of your home they will make their presence known, jumping from one surface to the next throughout your house.

Unlike many pests, spider crickets do not require a large food supply in order to survive. While many infestations can be removed by simply eliminating the food source, this is not the case with spider crickets. Instead, you must remove the conditions that attract these pests, this includes drying up any sources of moisture within your home.

Dangers Presented By Spider Crickets

While spider crickets are certainly a creature that you don’t want to share your home with, they do not present any actual threat. They can, overtime, cause damage to clothing, upholstery and other fabric-based materials within your home, but they do not bite and are not known to spread any diseases. Spider crickets have also been known to eat away at plants within your home.

Most homeowners want to get rid of spider crickets as quickly as possible, even if they aren’t causing any harm within your home. If you’ve seen spider crickets outside of your house this should not cause any concern, they are part of the natural ecosystem and serve as food to birds and various types of mammals. Following an outdoor sighting you should, however, make sure that all potential entrances are fully sealed. This involves filling in gaps beneath doors, repairing and rips on the screens of windows and doors, and never leaving unscreened doors open for any longer than necessary.

Spider Cricket Removal

The easiest way to get rid of spider crickets is to remove all sources of unnecessary moisture from your home. This doesn’t just mean in your kitchen and bathroom, but in basements and crawl spaces as well. If all moisture has been eliminated and spider crickets remain, you may need to reach out to a pest control provider. Make sure to inquire about the provider’s experience with spider crickets and moisture removal. Pest control chemicals can remove these pests, but if you do not remove sources of moisture they will be back in no time.

The insecticides that these companies use are just as effective on spider crickets as they are on other types of pests. Some of these chemicals can be purchased in stores, but if you attempt this DIY approach you must do so with extreme caution. When used incorrectly, pest control chemicals can present a threat to your pets and family members. For this reason it is recommended that you leave all chemical treatments to the professionals.