Eeek! You wake up in the morning, and before you have a chance to enjoy your coffee, you’re confronted by a long-legged, spidery bug with long antennae creeping across your kitchen floor. Although it may look icky, there’s really no need to worry: the insect is just a camel cricket.

While camel crickets may be a nuisance, the worst any one of these insects will likely do is frighten you, which may cause you to spill your hot cup of joe.

Camel crickets are also sometimes called sprickets, or spider crickets. Let’s first get a grasp on what these pests are before we dive into how you can get rid of camel crickets.

Camel crickets and closely-related cave crickets, also called “sprickets” or spider crickets, are common household pests found around the globe on every continent except Antarctica and on many islands. In the US and Canada, there are about one hundred species, with the Spotted Camel Cricket being the most common in the US, though the invasive Greenhouse camel cricket from China is outnumbering it and other native species in some locations.

You can tell camel crickets apart from true crickets fairly easily. True crickets have flat bodies and wings, with which they chirp. Camel crickets, however, are hunched backed and wingless as adults, and they don’t have any sound-producing organs, so they can’t chirp. They may be gross to look at, but at least they’re quiet.

True crickets are also typically smaller than camel crickets and darker in color. Camel crickets grow to be about 1” to 1¼” long, and most species are tan to dark brown; some have bands or spots as well.

Camel crickets are nocturnal, so you’re most likely to see camel crickets at night when they scavenge for food. They’re like the goats of the insect world and will eat everything from fungi to plant matter to other insects.

Are Spider Crickets Dangerous?

Camel crickets can’t hurt you, and they don’t pose any health risks. When disturbed, they’ll leap to frighten potential enemies. Jumping is their only defense mechanism, and it seems to work pretty well at scaring off humans.

At worst, they can become a nuisance inside your home, especially if they invade in large numbers, as they’ve been known to eat clothes and houseplants. Also, their feces can stain walls.

Outdoors, they can damage plants and lawn furniture fabric. They’ve even been reported to have fed on clothesline items.

So, in short, no, camel crickets are not dangerous.

Inside, camel crickets are commonly found in wells, in basements, and crawlspaces. They’re attracted to moisture, so if you find them it may be a sign you need to dry things out.

Outside, they’re commonly found under sheds and near air conditioner units. They’re also attracted to wood piles and moisture-retaining ground cover like leaf piles and mulch.

How Do I Prevent Camel Crickets or Spider Crickets?

The best way to keep these insects away is to reduce moisture in and immediately around the outside of your home. Use a dehumidifier to dry things out inside, and seal off places where they can enter. Also keep your crawl spaces, basement, and attic well ventilated as sprickets enjoy basements and crawl spaces because they are dark damp areas and can easily become the site of a spider cricket infestation.

If your crawl space has too much moisture even with ventilation, you might consider installing a vapor barrier or encapsulating the area.

Outside, store fire wood at least 20 feet away from the house, and keep leaf piles and compost heaps away as well. Also, direct water away from your foundation.

Get Rid of Spider Crickets For Good

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