Crickets are a common backyard bug, especially in the summer and fall months. But there are many other insects out there that resemble crickets in appearance and behavior. As a homeowner it’s important to be able to identify these cricket look-alikes so you know how to deal with them properly.
In this article, we’ll go over 9 bugs that are often mistaken for crickets, how to tell them apart, and what you need to know about each species.
What Does a Cricket Look Like?
Before we get into the imposters let’s refresh our memory on what an actual cricket looks like.
Crickets belong to the family Gryllidae and are related to grasshoppers. They have long antennae, cylindrical bodies, and large hind legs designed for jumping. Their wings lay flat on their backs and males make their familiar chirping sound by rubbing their wings together.
Crickets are usually light brown or black in color and range in size from 0.2 to 2 inches long depending on the species. They are primarily found on the ground in grassy areas, burrows, wood piles, and gardens.
9 Cricket Lookalikes
1. Jerusalem Cricket
Perhaps the insect most commonly mistaken for a cricket is the Jerusalem cricket. Despite its name, this creepy-looking critter is not a cricket at all.
Jerusalem crickets have a round, potato-like body and a very large head in proportion to their body. They can grow up to 2 inches long and are a reddish-brown color. Unlike crickets, Jerusalem crickets cannot jump very well due to their short hind legs. They also do not chirp.
These bugs prefer to live underground in damp soil. If you spot one, it probably crawled up from a nearby burrow. They are not harmful but can give a painful bite if handled.
2. Spider Cricket
Spider crickets, also called camel crickets, are another common cricket impersonator. As their name suggests, they have a spider-like appearance with elongated legs and antennae. However, they belong to the family Rhaphidophoridae, not true crickets.
Spider crickets lack wings and are generally darker in color than ordinary crickets – often black, brown or grey. And while male crickets chirp loudly, spider crickets do not make sounds.
You’re most likely to find these unwelcome guests in damp basements, garages, and other crawlspaces. They can damage fabrics, carpets, and wood.
3. Grasshoppers
At a quick glance, grasshoppers do resemble crickets, which is why they are so often confused. But there are a few key differences to look for.
Grasshoppers have short antennae that are shorter than their bodies. Crickets have prominent antennae that are longer than their bodies. Grasshoppers also produce a crackling sound rather than a smooth chirp and have different ovipositor structures than female crickets.
4. Katydids
Katydids are yet another insect that gets mistaken for the common cricket. They are green in color and have long, leaf-like hind legs and antennae, earning them the nickname “bush crickets.”
Katydids produce a “ticking” call at night, which sounds similar to but distinct from the chirping of crickets. You can also identify them by their large size, often over an inch long.
5. Cockroaches
Cockroaches are generally easy to discern from crickets if you look closely. For one thing, cockroaches have shield-like wings rather than the flat, oval wings of crickets. They also run very quickly compared to crickets.
However, newborn cockroaches known as nymphs do resemble crickets in their body shape. Look for long antennas and rapid fleeing movements to correctly ID young cockroaches.
6. Mole Crickets
As their name hints, mole crickets are in the same family as true crickets. But they have adapted to digging and tunneling underground, giving them a few noticeable physical differences.
Mole crickets have large shovel-like front legs specialized for burrowing. Their bodies are tougher and barrel-shaped compared to above-ground crickets. Mole crickets also lack wings.
You’re most likely to find mole crickets in areas with sandy soil where they can dig extensive tunnels. Their chirping is very faint underground.
7. Raspy Crickets
Raspy crickets belong to the family Gryllacrididae. Many species live in Australia, Africa, and South America.
They earn their name from the raspy sound they make when disturbed by rubbing their legs and wings. Raspy crickets are larger than most ordinary crickets reaching 1-1.5 inches long.
Their wings are short and rounded. And they have spines on their legs unlike smooth-legged crickets. Raspy crickets come in mottled brown, grey, and black hues with pale banding.
8. Camelback Crickets
Camelback crickets are also known as humpback crickets. They have a distinct humped back appearance which sets them apart from the flat-backed field crickets.
These strange looking crickets are in the same family as regular crickets. However they are flightless and mostly active at night.
You can find them under boards, stones, and leaves in rocky forest habitats and occasionally in basements. Despite their odd looks, camelback crickets are harmless.
9. Cave Crickets
There are also some true crickets in the genus Ceuthophilus known as cave crickets or camel crickets (not to be confused with spider crickets).
As their name implies, cave crickets live in caves and similar settings. They have longer legs and reduced pigment compared to field crickets. Without wings, cave crickets cannot sing and instead drum their feet to signal mates.
Cave crickets that wander into homes or basements can startle folks due to their unusual appearance. But they pose no harm.
How to Keep Cricket Lookalikes Out of Your House
Now that you know how to identify common cricket duplicates, let’s go over some tips to prevent them from invading your home in the first place:
-
Install door sweeps, window screens, and seal cracks around your foundation to block access points.
-
Reduce moisture sources by fixing leaky pipes, improving drainage, and using a dehumidifier.
-
Eliminate wood piles, leaf litter, high grass, and dense landscaping near your home.
-
Apply insecticide spray around potential entry points and use baits in garages and basements.
-
Turn on lights at night to discourage these nocturnal invaders from approaching your doors.
With vigilance and prevention, you can catch cricket imposters in the act before they ever make it into your house. And if they still slip through, you now have the knowledge to identify exactly what that bug is – and take appropriate steps to remove it!
Where Do Spider Crickets Live?
These bugs can be found all over the United States. In the wild, they’re typically found in caves (hence the name cave cricket) and forested areas where there are plenty of places to hide beneath leaves, rocks, and rotten logs in the summer and fall.
Like stinkbugs, spider crickets are “accidental invaders” into homes, loving dark and damp places like basements, crawlspaces, garages, and sheds. Sprickets (spider crickets) in a damp basement.
They’re known to gather in large numbers, which can make for a terrifying sight if you happen to enter a place where a few are roaming around. If you see one, there are probably more. These bugs are fairly harmless to humans, but you don’t want them in your home because of the damage they can do.
Your house is a spider cricket’s favorite habitat because they feed on lots of things found inside (and around it). Fungus and plant matter makes up a large portion of their diet, but spider crickets eat fabric, rugs and carpet, wood, cardboard, and sometimes even fellow spider crickets. So you definitely don’t want them hanging around.
Do Spider Crickets Bite?
There are conflicting reports on this. Most bug experts say “no” because spider crickets don’t have fangs or the ability (or desire) to bite humans. They use their mouthparts called mandibles to “gnaw” on their food. But they can gnaw on you if one happens to land on you.
Camel Crickets are Monsters in the Dark! Cave Cricket
FAQ
What are the house bugs that look like crickets?
You may see spider crickets in cool, moist areas around your home. They can infest basements, garages, laundry rooms, sheds, and other damp areas. These insects travel in groups, so if you see one spider cricket, you may have a larger infestation lurking out of sight.
What is the bug that looks like a cricket but isn t?
Rhaphidophoridae—what they’re officially called—are brownish in color with a humpback, antennae, and six, long spidery legs (the two hind legs are longer, like a cricket). For the most part, these bugs are harmless, but they use their ability to jump as a scare tactic, so don’t get too close.
Are cricket spiders harmful?
Some of the local children call them “sprickets” or “spider-cricket.” They are definitely creepy, but completely harmless and do not damage your basement in any way.
What bug is similar to a cricket?
Grasshoppers and crickets are related and together with the katydids and locusts, make up the Order Orthoptera (meaning ‘straight wings’). One of the most recognisable features of this group is their ability to produce sounds by rubbing together certain parts of their body.
Which insect looks like a giant cricket?
An insect that looks like a giant cricket is the katydid. Katydids belong to the Orthoptera family, which also includes grasshoppers and crickets. This specific katydid species is native to Central and South America and can grow up to six inches long. Although they may resemble harmless crickets, katydids can actually be dangerous.
Do some bugs look like crickets?
Some bugs look like crickets, as they share characteristics such as long antennae and wings used for flying. However, not all bugs are identical to crickets. These insects can frequently penetrate homes and workplaces, potentially causing harm.
What does a spider cricket look like?
Spider Crickets Spider Crickets (family Rhaphidophoridae) are referred to as cave or camel crickets. They are common in garages and damp basements. This is a long-legged insect that looks similar to a cricket that has been crossed with a spider. They are often mistaken as a cricket or a large spider.
Which insects can be mistaken for flying crickets?
Several insects can be mistaken for flying crickets, but they are not actually crickets. These insects include true crickets, grasshoppers, katydids, earwigs, and fireflies. Most of these insects are not harmful to humans, animals, or yards.
What is a cricket fly bug?
Crickets are a type of insect that are genetically related to grasshoppers and katydids. They are often brown or black, and their antennas are pretty lengthy. People often mistake cricket fly bugs for regular insects, but crickets have several distinguishing features. They can bounce and float, and touching their wings simultaneously makes them chirp.
What does a spider cricket’s droppings look like?
You may notice spider cricket fecal matter in places where they gather. These droppings resemble ground black pepper. Of course, they could indicate other insect problems like pantry pests, cockroaches, termites, or bed bugs.