Cave crickets, also known as camel crickets or spider crickets, are common insects that often find their way into human dwellings. These creatures typically inhabit damp, cool, and dark areas such as basements, cellars, and sheds. Many people encounter them unexpectedly, prompting a desire to understand what they are and how to identify them.
Their General Appearance
Cave crickets possess a distinctive look. They are typically light to dark brown in color, often displaying mottled patterns or dark bands on some body segments. Adults generally range in size from approximately 0.5 to 1.5 inches (13 to 33 mm) in body length, though some larger species can reach up to 2 inches (5 cm). Their most notable physical characteristic is their humpbacked or arched body. This rounded body shape, combined with their elongated limbs, contributes to their appearance.
Key Identification Features
A distinguishing characteristic of cave crickets is their exceptionally long antennae, which can often be twice the length of their body. These antennae help them navigate their preferred dark environments. Their hind legs are also remarkably long and powerful, adapted for swift, unpredictable jumps when startled. These legs allow them to leap considerable distances, sometimes up to three feet in a single bound.
Unlike many other cricket species, cave crickets do not possess wings. This absence means they are unable to fly and do not produce the familiar chirping sounds associated with other crickets. While they may create a faint clicking sound as they move, they are largely silent. Their eyes are relatively small and underdeveloped, as they primarily rely on touch and smell to navigate and locate food in low-light conditions.
How They Differ From Other Insects
Distinguishing cave crickets from other common household insects involves observing their features. Unlike true crickets, such as field crickets, cave crickets lack wings and do not chirp. True crickets typically have sound-producing organs on their wings. Field crickets also tend to have a flatter body shape compared to the humpbacked appearance of a cave cricket.
When compared to spiders, which they are often mistaken for due to their long legs, cave crickets are insects and possess six legs, not eight. Their body is segmented like other insects, rather than having the two distinct body parts (cephalothorax and abdomen) characteristic of spiders. Spiders do not have antennae. Additionally, cockroaches typically have a flatter, more oval body shape and shorter, thicker antennae than cave crickets.