camel cricket

camel cricket n

A wingless long-horned grasshopper n 1 of the subfamily Rhaphidophorinae.

1894 NE State Bd. Ag. Annual Rept. for 1893 315, Still another subfamily of the Locustidæis . . those called Stenopelmatinæ. While many of this last group are provided with wings, many others are wingless and live in burrows in the ground, under stones, in dark, damp places, as caverns, etc. These wingless creatures belonging here are sometimes called “Camel-crickets” on account of the upward curve of their backs. 1930 Circleville Herald (OH) 14 July 2/1, He turned a stone and out hopped a camel cricket. 1964 Borror–DeLong Intro. Insects 135, The cave or camel crickets, subfamily Rhaphidophorinae, are brownish and rather hump-backed in appearance . . and are found in caves or hollow trees. 1977 Albuquerque Jrl. (NM) 15 July sec B 1/2, Crickets, both the ordinary field cricket and the camel cricket have been in abundance this season. 2009 Frederick News–Post (MD) 4 Oct sec C 7/4, Several types of crickets are in our area. . . The camel cricket is named for its humped appearance when viewed from the side.