Cave crickets, also known as camel crickets, are known to damage fabrics when food sources are limited. They can breed fast once they have secured the food source.
So, how to get rid of cave crickets? To get rid of cave crickets, you can use a dehumidifier in crawl spaces, garages, and basements. Furthermore, you can also use dish soap. Just get a clean spray bottle, fill it half-full water and put a part of dish soap into it. Once this solution is ready, spray it throughout your home.
The dish soap and water mixture can penetrate and dehydrate the cricket’s exoskeleton, killing them in the process.
Read on to learn more about cave cricket, including their appearance, habitat, bite, and how to eliminate them.
Table of Contents
What Is a Cave Cricket?
Cave crickets are nocturnal insects with humpbacks, round bodies, and long, enlarged legs. They have drumstick-shaped femurs and long, thin antennae. Because cave crickets lack sound-producing organs, they do not chirp.
These insects are commonly found in caves but are also found in damp areas, such as rotten logs, hollow trees, and stumps. They can also be seen beneath damp leaves, stones, and logs.
Cave crickets don’t generally go into homes and are considered to be accidental invaders. These nuisances don’t breed indoors, but if you’ve got some damp and dark areas in your place, they can take advantage of those areas.
Cave crickets aren’t fatal to humans or pets. They can’t bite since they don’t have fangs, but they can use their mandibles to gnaw and you can feel their sting.
What Do Cave Crickets Look Like?
Cave crickets are brownish, wingless insects that can grow from 13 mm to 33 mm. Nonetheless, you can also find black cave crickets indoors.
They have large hind legs and two long antennae, helping them navigate in dark places. In addition, they have a spider-like appearance so they often get misidentified as jumping spider species.
Are Cave Crickets Blind?
Only some types are blind, while most just have poor eyesight. This is why they tend to jump when they feel startled or threatened. It’s their way of attempting to scare and defend themselves against their predators.
What Do Cave Crickets Eat?
Typically, cave crickets feed on fungi, wood, and other insects. However, when food sources are limited, they may end up eating curtains, towels, carpets, and other fabrics. Moreover, they also do eat spiders, particularly the young ones.
Where Do Cave Crickets Live?
Cave crickets can be found anywhere in the United States. Usually, they are found in caves and forested areas with lots of places to hide. They can hide in rotten logs, under rocks and leaves. Additionally, they can live as long as one to two years.
They’re also known as accidental invaders at homes and can be found in dark and damp areas in basements, crawl spaces, sheds, and garages.
Do Cave Crickets Bite?
Technically, cave crickets don’t bite because they don’t have fangs. However, they can use their sharp mandibles to gnaw. Their bite can be painful, but they’re not typically aggressive insects. They only get hostile when they feel threatened or attacked.
Typically, they avoid human contact as much as possible and go to basements, crawlspaces, or humid areas. Although they’re not harmful to humans or pets, they can gnaw on your clothing, curtains, and carpets if not checked.
How to Catch Cave Crickets?
The best way to catch cave crickets is by placing glue traps in the affected areas of your home.
Furthermore, a dehumidifier can help you get rid of these nuisances since they like damp environments, which dehumidifiers can prevent.
What Repels Cave Crickets?
If you’ve already dealt with your cricket problem at home, it’s best to ensure that they don’t creep back on your property.
Harris Cricket Glue Traps
Harris Cricket Glue Traps is a pesticide-free product that’s easy to use. All you have to do is fold the trap, then insert the tab to come together. You may slide this under your bedding or furniture to lure the cave crickets.
Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer
One application of Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer can control insects for as long as three months. This can be applied around your home’s foundation and will also kill other pests such as spiders, ants, and centipedes.
Ortho BugClear Insect Killer
The Ortho BugClear Insect Killer is best used for lawns and landscapes. This can kill cave crickets within minutes and gives long-lasting pest control in your yard. It can also eliminate spiders, hornets, ticks, scorpions, ants, mosquitoes, fleas, and more.
Just fasten your garden hose to the Ortho BugClear Insect Killer product and apply it to your lawn and landscape areas. This has a non-staining formula and is also odor-free.
How to Eliminate Cave Crickets in Basement?
Vacuum
Although this method wouldn’t essentially get rid of your problem, it’ll instantly get rid of those in plain sight.
Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
Another way you can get rid of cave crickets in your basement is through Diatomaceous Earth (DE). This powdery item has a sweet odor that can attract these nuisances and dehydrate them once they come in contact with it.
Sticky Paper and Cricket Trap
You can also opt for a cricket trap and sticky paper when it comes to getting rid of crickets in your basement. The combination of these two is an ideal method to trap crickets living in dark areas, such as basements.
Seal Entries and Cracks
Examine your basement for cracks and entries. Make sure to seal them off before placing any traps. This way, new crickets will lose access points into your basement and you will have to deal only with those that are already there.
Water Trap
Another way to get rid of cricket caves in your basement is by making a water trap. This trap is a blend of molasses or anything sweet and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Once done, put the mixture in a small bowl and leave it in the part of the basement where crickets are common.
How to Get Rid of Cave Crickets Naturally?
Boric acid is a valuable laundry powder that can also be used in repelling and killing cave crickets. Just get a spray bottle, fill it with half-full water and put some boric acid in it.
Once done, spray the solution to the affected area or directly to the cave crickets flying around your area.
Neem Oil
Neem oil is a natural cave cricket killer. This substance deteriorates the appetite of these crickets, causing them to stop feeding and drinking.
Just put water into the spray bottle, add some drops of neem oil and spray it to the affected area. You may also spray this around your home to deter cave crickets from breeding in your home.
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil is an effective cave crickets repellent, particularly if mixed with white vinegar. Just get a cup of water, mix it with 1/4 cup of vinegar, and put at least 10 drops of peppermint oil.
Once done, get a clean spray bottle and put the mixture into it. After that, spray it to the areas where these crickets are frequent.
Cedar Oil
Cedar oil is one of the best options in repelling and killing cave crickets. Its scent is not only attractive to these pests but is also highly dehydrating. Once the oil touches their exoskeleton, it’ll kill them almost instantly.
Cave crickets aren’t harmful insects. However, they can be nuisances if they start to breed in your home.