Most bugs that come to mind are small critters that crawl around on the ground and don’t cause too much trouble. But others can be downright huge and intimidating to have to contend with. Camel crickets, which are common invasive pests in the Midwest, are large and imposing pests that can wreak absolute havoc on personal property. Therefore, it's critical to know how to spot and prevent an infestation.
What Are Camel Crickets?
Camel crickets get their name from the hump-backed shape of their bodies. They are large, hopping insects that feed on everything from plants to common household materials. You can discern camel crickets by the following features:
- Jumping: Unlike other crickets, camel crickets don’t have wings, but they don’t let that stop them from soaring through the air. Instead, they use their powerful legs to hop from place to place.
- Color: Camel crickets are most often light brown or tan in color, though some can appear grayish or yellow.
- Size: Camel crickets frequently grow to over an inch in size. When compared to the several feet of your average human, that might not sound like much, but once you’re staring one of these jumping nuisances in the face, you’ll feel differently.
- Shape: To leap so high and so far, camel crickets have enlarged and well-developed rear legs. They are angular and jointed, so when crickets are stationary their legs can appear to stick upwards. Camel crickets also have extremely long antennae that stick out from the tops of their heads.
How Do They Get In?
Despite their inability to fly, camel crickets are incredibly mobile bugs, and they will forage for food anywhere and everywhere. Not only will they make it inside to eat up curtains, clothes, and carpeting, crickets are cold-blooded insects, meaning they seek shelter inside where it’s warm.
Camel crickets also like dark, moist areas, so when they’re not found in caves, they are often seen in basements or other areas of a property where water and dankness occur.
Camel Cricket Prevention
Preventing camel crickets is also about preventing other insects and pests from making it onto your property. The following are all important steps to take and keep up on for proper Indianapolis pest control:
- Food storage & disposal: Camel crickets themselves aren’t very interested in the food you have in the pantry, but the smaller bugs the crickets eat certainly are. Clean up crumbs and spills, keep food and trash in secure bags and containers, and vacuum your home regularly.
- Moisture Control: Crickets and other pests are attracted to damp, dark areas, so anywhere that moisture pools and hangs in the air can create safe havens for insects. Proper pipe maintenance can prevent drips and bursts, and ventilation in bathrooms, basements, and kitchens will help as well.
- Access points: Camel crickets are too big to squeeze through tiny holes in the walls or foundations of a structure, but the bugs they hunt can. Camel crickets make it into your home via gaps in windows and doors. Seal up faults around the exterior and make sure screens and door sweeps are properly installed.
Infestation? Take Action!
Pest problems can quickly spiral out of control. Insects like crickets can breed quickly and overrun a property if left unchecked. Even if an infestation hasn’t taken hold yet, frequent inspection and treatment by professionals is a far better course to take than having to react too late to a big cricket problem. At Action Pest Control, we know all the places to look for camel crickets and other pests that act as warning signs of larger infestations. If we find a problem, our trained experts will take care of it, and take action to keep future infestations from happening, too.
With camel crickets and other invasive pests, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Contact Action Pest Control right away.