Ok -- to clear up the confusion, this is not a cricket, it is a spricket. (combination of spider and cricket)
Otherwise known as cave crickets or spider crickets. They are monsterously huge, incredibly creepy, and to top it all off with, to intimidate, they jump at you!!
When I would lay down on the street, it kept jumping at me!! Really gross, really creepy. Unfortunately, I do think there was a little scream accompanying one of the shots when it actually jumped on me...
It jumped on me three times. I'm still having nightmares...
Here's what one wildlife site says:
They get their name from their hump-like back. Their heads arch downward between their front legs, and their antennae are longer than their bodies. Like other crickets, they are good jumpers and are varying shades of brown. However, unlike other crickets, they are unable to chirp and have no wings. They survive as nymphs in the winter and look the same through their whole life cycle, with the exception of their size.
Camel Crickets are more active at night and prefer areas that have high humidity and moisture. Outdoors, these crickets can be found in wood or stone piles, tall grass, tree hollows, ground holes, and caves. During dry spells, they seek moisture and may turn up in laundry rooms or garages.
I'm so happy I ran across this. Last winter we remodeled our bathroom and between mudding the wall and finally painting it, these guys visited us. They do jump at you! It's a little creepier with your pants down lol. I screamed loud and long one more than one occasion.
Before they finally left I threw one in my light tent and got this...
wow .. what an excellent read wendy .. when i saw that pic i immediately thought of the crickets we get here .. maybe an inch long the biggest .. and they'd never jump at you .. quite the opposite .. or they stay perfectly still .. its a great shot and an perfect process .. i just googled sprickets and found out that we do get them in australia .. i've never seen one tho .. i like very large insects they're easier to photograph .. lol .. altho i've gone off insects a bit lately .. more into ppl .. probably a good move .. !! ..:)
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