Spider Crickets – Keep an Eye Out for These Ugly Home Invaders

These ugly insect pests go by many names: mutant spiders, criders, sprickets, etc. But no matter what you decide to call them, you definitely don’t want these freaks in your home. Right around this time of year they are seeking dark, damp areas in your house such as your basement to settle down for the winter. What’s worse is that they tend to congregate in large numbers, meaning if you see one in your house, there are bound to be more. From far away they are around the same size and color as wolf spiders, but take a closer look and you’ll see what appears to be a shrimp that has long legs. Just like the wolf spider these guys are serious jumpers. When frightened they tend to jump directly at that which has just frightened them too, so I’d avoid taking a closer look.

Another downside to finding one in your home is they will eat just about anything they come across in your home, as they are quite voracious. This includes carpet, wood, cardboard, dust, plants, and even each other. And they can chew through just about anything in your home with their incredibly strong mandibles. They are not known for biting humans, but if one happens to land on you, they will likely start gnawing on your skin….not the most pleasant experience. If you see one of these in your house, call an exterminator immediately.

Have you ever seen one of these spider crickets? What did you do to get rid of it? Did you find just one or did one lead to the discovery of many?