Camel Cricket

Description:

the camel cricket is a wingless critter with very large hind legs and ultra long antennae. They have a brownish, sometimes spotted color and an arched back that gives them the hump-backed camel appearance. They have very poor eyesight, so they use their long antennae as a guide to maneuver through dark spaces. Camel crickets do not have ears and cannot hear sound, but they are extremely sensitive to vibrations. They can be anywhere from half an inch to 2 inches long. The young nymphs are small and translucent. These crickets will consume any sort of organic debris that is lying around : leaves, bark, fruit, fungus, dead insects, paper products, linens, and even fabrics. Camel crickets are nocturnal and silent. They hate bright lights. Since they do not have wings, they cannot chirp like the field cricket. With their large, turkey drum-stick shaped legs, they can leap over 3ft in the air. This is their only defense mechanism against potential predators. Ironically, they do not run away from perceived danger, but leap toward it in attempt to scare perpetrators away. They scavenge for food and will hunt for dead, decaying matter or insect bodies by night. Camel crickets spend a good amount of time grooming themselves. They pull their antennae through their mouths for cleaning. They groom their legs in the same way that a rabbit does. It is very interesting to watch a camel cricket in action. Communication between camel crickets is fascinating. If you place a few of them in a container together, they will face each other and touch antennae. While it may vary from species to species, most females lay eggs in early spring to late summer. The eggs hatch and develop into nymphs. They undergo a metamorphosis which causes them to molt their top layer of skin seven or eight times a year until adulthood. After each molt, the nymph will eat its cast off skin shell.

Habitat:

Camel crickets inhabit dark, damp areas. They are often found underneath rocks, logs, piles of leaves, and firewood. They can abide in caves, just like the "cave cricket" nickname implies. Since they are attracted to dampness, they tend to hide indoors in basements, laundry rooms, and bathrooms.