#rhaphidophoridae

[spricket-central]

when i first met Donut, i wasnt sure he'd survive the night.

i caught him while he was hiding in the folds of my bedsheets, with my cat Wembley still in pursuit. the poor thing had taken a beating: he was missing his right jumping leg, and his 2nd right walking leg appeared to be completely paralyzed, dragging behind him as he nervously skittered around in his temporary enclosure.

luckily, his injuries were purely external, and he pulled through brilliantly!

i moved him into a large enclosure with Baguette, a solitary adult female i had rescued only a week prior. she was a tad stand-offish with him at first, but the two quickly became friendly, spending most of their time hanging out together!

his paralyzed leg was eventually discarded, possibly by him gnawing it off himself. he moved about rather clumsily, only having one leg on his right side to work with his undamaged left limbs, but he seemed to have no problem getting around regardless. he loved to climb around the enclosure, and could still haul ass when he felt surprised or threatened, ahaha.

Donut was such a character. i have no idea how he managed to fit so much energy (or cucumber) into that funny little bean-shaped body. im so glad that i was able to give him a calm, easy life after his brush with death. i just wanted him to be comfortable, but he didnt just survive: he thrived.

Donut, i love you dearly, and I'll miss you and your antics so much. i promise I'll take good care of your girlfriend. im even thinking of incubating some of her eggs, so who knows, you may even end up a father!

I'll think of you tomorrow when im cutting up everybodys cucumber 💚

Donut

10/17/23 (caught) - 1/8/24

[jupiterswasphouse]

A camel cricket!

[boombrothersasks]

oooh Shadow, if you have a terrarium, you can put your very little brother in it (with Viper and other comforts) to keep him safe while he's paperclip sized

"What makes you think I have a terrarium?" Shadow scoffed. "I happen to have the terrarium. My collection is unmatched, none other would dare challenge that of the Ultimate Lifeform. But I don't think he would like it in there, even with Viper and other things...coward. So instead I'll put him in my extra terrarium. It's smaller, but empty, ever since I merged all the creatures into one tank for...experimentation purposes. The beetles with glowing marks and the cave spiders have started conflict, and the rhaphidophoridae, or 'camel crickets,' for simpletons, somehow still aren't too hostile, haven't bitten or anything. The rest watch in fear...and more soon."

[jonnysinsectcatalogue]

Camel Cricket - Ceuthophilus sp.

Cottage country has been very good to the blog this year, and has given us another new specie to observe! This adult female was found behind the seat of a kayak, but was only discovered after the subsequent returning to shore after the kayak tipped over on the water. She's been through a lot, but she made it safely back to dry land. It's likely she made a home for herself inside the crawlspace along with the kayaks, deck chairs and lawnmowers. That's just the way Camel Crickets (family Rhaphidophoridae) like it: a dark, moist environment where they can hide and flourish! Depending on the specie and environment, they are also known as Cave Crickets, Spider Crickets, Humpback Crickets and Sand Treaders. As their foremost name suggests, they are primarily found inside caves or mines and can also be found crawling among sandy/desert environments. They prefer the nocturnal hours and manage navigating their environment thanks to their large antennae and (to a lesser degree) their extended legs (for the longer range of touch), short rear-leg spines, and their rear cerci. This one also has well-developed eyes, how lucky!

In a temperate climate like Canada, outdoor Camel Crickets may be drawn to hiding under leaf litter or fallen logs until nighttime arrives. When they become active, they'll feed on organic material whether they scavenge, passively hunt or consume plants. The genus Ceuthophilus are reported to be scavengers, but unless they have enlarged mandibles (like the Tree Wētās do for example) they do not bite humans. There isn't much else to do since Rhaphidophoridae specimens tend to be wingless and as such cannot make songs they way other Crickets can through stridulation. You may not ever hear their song, but their morphology grants them other benefits. Their large hind legs allow them to be astonishing jumpers! This one attempted to jump once, but may have been disoriented from the kayak trip and the sunlight. Placing her on the stones seemed to settle her down. Moreover, the spurred tibia on their hindlegs grant Camel Crickets the ability to dig; they flick their hind legs vigorously and push sand behind them. The branch within the Cricket kingdom is certainly fascinating. The only point of contention I have (aside from what happens if these insects get in the house) is that identification down to the specie isn't very easy.

Pictures were taken on Saturday 22, 2023 in Muskoka with a Google Pixel 4. I'll be taking a closer look at these pictures when I can to verify the specie. Might it be C. brevipes (the Boreal Camel Cricket), C. maculatus or something else altogether?

[dolicho-vespula]

2023/10/02 - a beautiful camel cricket (Family Rhaphidophoridae) chilling on the basement steps.

[lraquel]

Heebie-jeebie cave crickets live in - you guessed it - caves and basements. I’ve been blessed to run into them in both places. Maybe it’s their hunchbacks, prolonged antennae or the knowledge they can jump in my hair whenever they damn well please that gives me the creeps.  I can literally handle giant hissing roaches, pythons, or flopping fish, but these critters would be my fear factor doom. 

Friends from my Round Spring cave expedition 2016. Crickets like these from the family Rhaphidophoridae don’t chirp! Auh, my heart went out to them for like .62 seconds. 

[onenicebugperday]

@bloorf submitted: BIG lady cave cricket (Rhaphidophoridae, in PA) and her pals in the garage -

Cricket party!! I love them all....so leggy....

[thegrandimago]

This is the 74th installment of 'Since I've Been Gone'. Taken on 2020 9th October while on my Iowa hitch with @americanconservationexperience, I accidentally found a spotted camel cricket (Ceuthophilus maculatus) beneath some logs my crew and I were having to move, but I believe this one was left where it was. These flightless orthopterans tend to live in dark areas like caves, rotting logs, even people's basements. #animal #animals #wildlife #iowawildlife #iowainsects #insectagram #insect #insects #nature #fauna #invertebrate #invertebrates #cavecricket #cavecrickets #criders #spricket #camelcrickets #camelcricket #imago #arthropod #arthropods #animalia #insecta #arthropoda #orthoptera #ensifera #rhaphidophoridae #ceuthophilus #ceuthophilusmaculatus #spottedcamelcricket (at Cedar Rapids, Iowa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CWMNjH6qEdx/?utm_medium=tumblr

[udc793]

Tachycines asynamorus is a cave cricket and the type species of the genus Tachycines (Rhaphidophoridae). In English-speaking countries it is known as the greenhouse camel cricket or greenhouse stone cricket for its propensity for living in greenhouses. It was first described in 1902 by Russian entomologist Nicolai Adelung . (at Arlington, Virginia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CVEURjssNY6eXwuuD9SLio1lQxpjpahIKFgwPA0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[cruxymox]

i pull another star, this white thing, from the darkness above. Beallara Tahoma Glacier petals and Rhaphidophoridae fill the space where this one hung. i roll the star around in my fingers. it is cold, burning. it throws little sparks. i crush the star and it is like paste. a sticky dough in my hand. i lick my fingers, i put what was once the star in my mouth. i roll it around with my tongue. it is sweet, burning. my wings twitch. someone's coming, and my mouth is bleeding again. i hide behind flowers & insects.

[spricket-central]

crouton is a pretty girl :)

[physarumzk]

カマドウマ科 Rhaphidophoridae (2017/09/29)

[werspicey]

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