If you've discovered camel crickets in your home, there is a good chance it left you unsettled. These creatures dwell in moist dark locations and they have the appearance of spiders. What's worse, if you found them in a moist dark location in your home, you probably found them grouped together with other camel crickets. And there are few things as creepy as seeing a dozen or more spider-like creatures clinging to a wall in your basement. This isn't the only way you could have come in contact with these disturbing insects but we're sure, whatever way it happened, it was equally as unsettling. So, it isn't surprising if you come to this article with the above question in mind.
The simple answer is, no. Camel crickets are not as dangerous as they look. Camel crickets don't bite people. While they do have mouthparts that they can use to chew on furniture, carpets, upholstery, plants, and other things in your home, they are not interested in chewing on you. Nor do they have fangs, like a spider, with which to bite. The threat they pose in a home is only to your belongings. But in this respect, they can be very dangerous.
The name camel crickets falls shorts of properly describing these insects. They are more aptly called spider crickets or sprickets, for short. But, there is an even better name. One that we are surprised no one has attached to these omnivores. It seems most appropriate to call them goat crickets. They are like the "goat" of the insect world. They chew on everything from fabrics to dead insects and from plant matter to their own legs--or each other. They do not have much discrimination when it comes to finding a meal. Though, in fairness to the camel crickets, choosing to eat their own legs is a last resort.
When camel crickets appear in a home, it is not a big deal at first. You will probably not even realize you have a camel cricket problem unless you go into a dark, damp, secluded location inside your home. But, over time, as the population of crickets grows, you'll start to see undeniable cricket damage.
Since camel crickets can get into wall voids and other hard-to-reach locations, it is best to hire a professional to take care of this pest problem. If you live in our New York service area, we invite you to reach out to Thomas Pest Services. Our educated and experienced pest control technicians are trained to monitor for camel cricket activity and apply protocols for arresting camel cricket infestation. Your technician can also guide you in protecting your home from future infestations. Reach out to us today for a free estimate and learn more about the residential pest control plans available at Thomas Pest Services.