What looks like a spider but can leap off the wall and cause your heart to come to a complete stop? If you said a camel cricket, you are absolutely correct. These long-legged, creepy critters, often called sprickets or criders (said with a long I) because of their resemblance to spiders, are not a fun pest to have in your home. A single camel cricket can cause a peaceful room full of girls to turn into utter pandemonium. They've even been known to cause quite a stir in rooms with grown men in them, but it is completely understandable. They look like creepy spiders and they jump right at you. Enough said. Here are a few common questions people have about camel crickets. Hopefully, these answers will make you feel a little less freaked out by these disturbing pests.
Are camel crickets dangerous? No. Camel crickets do not have mouthparts that are able to break through human skin. They are also not known to carry pathogens that spread to humans. They can, however, get into dirty places and spread harmful bacteria on their exoskeleton, but this is the case with almost all bugs.
What do camel crickets eat? It would be easier to answer the question, "What don't camel crickets eat?" These are the goats of the insect world. You can find them eating all kinds of crazy things, but they are especially frustrating when they decide to eat a hole through your curtains, pillow cases, or favorite shirt. They are fond of the natural fibers found in some clothing, upholstery, and draperies.
What is chirping in my walls? We can tell you one thing, it isn't camel crickets. Camel crickets do not make that chirping sound other crickets make. This is good and bad. On the good side, you don't have to worry about a camel cricket keeping you up all hours of the night with its incessant song, but it makes these crickets even more of a threat to your nervous system as they will sit silently in the dark corners of your home, waiting to spring at you.
Why do camel crickets leap right at you? It is believed that camel crickets do this to scare away predators. These crickets have poor eyesight and when something startles them, they try to startle them back. Often, it works to scare away more skittish creatures that would otherwise make a meal of them.
How do I get rid of camel crickets? There are a ton of tips on the web for getting rid of camel crickets. Everything from using one of those electric rackets to swing at them and zap them, to filling a shallow bucket with soapy water and putting a can of cat food in the middle. Sure, you can kill camel crickets this way, but when you want to get them out and keep them out, it is best to have a professional pest control company take care of your problem.
Parkway Pest Services won't just put a band-aid on your camel cricket issue. We seal them out of your home completely. When you've had all you can take of spider-like creatures leaping at you from the dark, give us a call. We can help.