Cave - Camel cricket (Rhaphidophoridae) useful?

[CosbyArt]

I was working on my car earlier tonight and had to return my tools to the basement, and ran across the colony of Cave - Camel crickets (Rhaphidophoridae) living down there.

Usually they won't move until I get within a few feet of them and they will go jumping away fast and high; however, one stood it's ground. Using my iPhone I kept taking pictures and inching closer until I got the images below. My iPhone was only a few inches away from it, and resting on the concrete floor. The image is the same cricket from two angles, but due to the low lighting (high camera ISO) the images turned out different.

This is the first house I've ever seen them in (mine, family, or friends over the years) in my life. I guess they are not common in Indiana, or I've been lucky(?) I guess.

Anyway I was curious if they could serve any purpose besides being a pest, or at best an occasional basement spider eater? The adult crickets are so large I'd be afraid it would eat my mantis, but perhaps the young might be a good feeder (besides pet store crickets)? Or maybe used as another new "exotic" pet?

Before it is asked, yes, the basement was sprayed many times years ago now with various chemicals and even foggers to try and wipe them out of the basement. If anything it seems their population grew since the attempts of cricket homicide. Perhaps the ultimate answer would be to hatch some mantis ooth's down there for a mantis colony to take over. :shifty:

 

[happy1892]

I like camel crickets, though I cannot identify the ones in the United States yet. I did not know they would be aggressive and eat prey.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/153

I find them around old brick building in damp, dark areas and underneath houses or in the crawl spaces. And yes, they do usually jump away quite soon as you approach them.

 

[CosbyArt]

I like camel crickets, though I cannot identify the ones in the United States yet. I did not know they would be aggressive and eat prey.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/153

I find them around old brick building in damp, dark areas and underneath houses or in the crawl spaces. And yes, they do usually jump away quite soon as you approach them.

Yeah, I would agree as they don't bother me any, and I find them interesting. They don't chirp so I leave them alone, and avoid bothering them except for a photo once and in awhile.

My wife and family seem to be scared of them and will avoid the unfinished basement at night. During the day I haven't seen a live camel cricket, but as soon as it's dark out they spread out across the concrete floor.

Thanks for the link, I think I may now know where they are living as the article mentions they like sand. Under my front porch the area is enclosed in brick and has over 3 feet of sand, covering the entire porch size floor/ground. I've dug around under there trying to see what the point of the sand was but quit digging about 3 feet down, and still have no idea why the sand. The area connects to my basement through the basement wall using a small door.

 

[Ranitomeya]

Camel crickets are usually omnivorous, but they're harmless to humans and are nothing to be afraid of. They may be feeding on small detrivorous insects and mold in your basement, but they probably also find their way in and out of your basement.

Sand is usually used as foundation for housing.

 

[hibiscusmile]

don't know that I have ever seen them, I would like to get some too.

 

[CosbyArt]

Camel crickets are usually omnivorous, but they're harmless to humans and are nothing to be afraid of. They may be feeding on small detrivorous insects and mold in your basement, but they probably also find their way in and out of your basement.

Sand is usually used as foundation for housing.

Yeah I like them myself, and haven't noticed any damage to anything stored in the basement. Thanks for the info on them, it seems there is little available about them.

Sand for the house foundation makes sense. In my digging the only thing besides sand was some pieces of limestone block (my porch is limestone slabs) and lots of solder blobs. Turns out the solder is likely from the old gutters and/or water pipes as this house was built in 1913 I think it was,

don't know that I have ever seen them, I would like to get some too.

They are crazy fast usually, and once I flip the light on I can hear them running/jumping. Often I see only 3 or so at a time, but imagine there are lots more. I might be able to catch a dozen or so for you, PM me if your interested. I'm sure the cricket colony wouldn't notice a few missing. :whistling: