How To Protect You Home Against the Creepiest Insect in the Hudson Valley

You're already brave for clicking on this link. I chose to write about this and I already have the creeps. But that's the point! By the end of this article you will hopefully be armed with enough knowledge to keep one of the most hair-raising insects out of your home.

Cave Crickets in the Hudson Valley, NY

What you're (unfortunately) looking at is a cave cricket, also known as a camel cricket. They can also go by several other appropriate names like spider cricket or even greenhouse cricket. They tend to seek out damp, dark shelter, and the bad news is that they love to make their home in the Hudson Valley.

Cave Crickets in Fishkill, NY

A local Fishkill resident recently took to Facebook when she found some in her home. "Does anyone know what this is?...eight appear every morning in the lower level of my house. Anything that keeps them out?", she posted, and the sympathy came rolling in. "Haaaaaaate. They have terrible eyesight and jump towards noise as a defense. No thank you.", commented one sympathetic woman. "I'm sorry to say, We have tried EVERYTHING to get rid of these for good but they just keep coming back!!!" complained another. The good news it that there are some steps to take to help keep these creepy jumping nightmares out of your home.

Cave Cricket Solutions

Some of this advice applies to keeping all pests out of your home, like making sure the seals on your windows and doors are tight. Damaged weather stripping on a garage door can also allow entry for unwanted insects and critters. Keeping shrubs and mulch away from direct contact with your siding or foundation is helpful as well. Some more specific advice focuses on factors that attract them in the first place, like moisture.

Damp Hudson Valley Basements

As one Facebook commenter suggested on the original spine-tingling post, reducing moisture can help avoid these blind, jumping mini-monsters. A basement dehumidifier can come in handy, as well as increasing airflow by keeping stored boxes off the ground or even using a fan. The good news is, as gross as they look, they're physically harmless. The most damage they can do (other than psychological) is if they begin to eat boxes or stored items as they look for a food source. Some more aggressive tactics included placing sticky traps or using a spider spray.

OK, now that we looked at nightmare-inducing creepy crawlies, let's all relax with some of the cutest hiking service animals in the Hudson Valley below.