About this time of year homeowners often encounter some strange looking and noisy insects in their basements. The strange looking ones are usually camel or cave crickets, the noisy ones are usually field crickets.

DESCRIPTION: These crickets are wingless and have a noticeable hump-backed appearance. Their hind legs are long and they are excellent jumpers (as they would have to be, without wings to depend on!). They have long antennae. They are called cave crickets because they are often found in dark and damp locations, and are common in caves. In fact, there are eyeless cave crickets known only from the depths of some caves in North America. They spend their entire life in darkness--depending on their long antennae and sense of smell to get about and feed.

HABITAT: Cave or camel crickets feed on decaying organic matter, and prefer damp and dark locations. They can be found in basements, but usually not in great numbers, and usually in basements with a definite moisture problem! They are rather secreative, and may go unnoticed for a long time.

CONTROL: Solving the moisture problem is usually the first step in controlling cave crickets. If a chemical method is required, any of the common aerosol insecticides will be effective.