Found a large, strange bug with a large "stinger" in the living room. What kind is it?

December 15, 2011 7:10 PM

I found a large, fast, and strange looking bug in our living room (one, two), and I'm unsure as to what type it is. It has a large "stinger" on it's bottom, with very long legs. Do you know what type it is?

I am trying to figure out what type of bug I have just found in our living room. I was laying on the couch and noticed the cat run across the carpet chasing after something. When I caught a glimpse of what he was chasing, I noticed it to be a very fast, large bug that ran across the floor and under the couch within two or three seconds. I ran to the kitchen to grab a large wad of paper towels to catch this thing. When I came back to the living room, my cat had chased it under the couch (great). I waited for the bug to run out, but my cat ended up crawling under the couch and chased him out for me anyway.

Once I caught the bug, I threw it in the toilet and had to take a picture of it for fellow Mefites to identify.

This is a strange one I've never seen before. Any idea on what type of bug this is, and if it's at all harmful?

posted by jwmollman to science & nature (9 answers total)

I always get these wrong, but that really looks like a baby camel cricket.
posted by mittens at 7:12 PM on December 15, 2011 [4 favorites]

It looks like a cricket to me.
posted by xingcat at 7:12 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

So that's all it is? That thing was pretty big, and that rear end had me frightened. Thanks for the feedback!
posted by jwmollman at 7:19 PM on December 15, 2011

According to Wikipedia, in crickets, "Females have a long ovipositor, which should not be mistaken for a stinger."
posted by xingcat at 7:29 PM on December 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Seconding camel cricket. I'd get these in my apartment on Long Island ALL THE TIME.
posted by makonan at 7:43 PM on December 15, 2011

cricket.
posted by The otter lady at 7:51 PM on December 15, 2011

Be sure to reward the cat for finding the bug for you. (My cat now alerts me when she finds a bug 50% of the time!) And for not eating it and leaving a leg in your bed (...thats the other 50% of the time).
posted by maryr at 7:55 PM on December 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

These are called "kamado-uma" in Japan, which I've always translated as "cave crickets". "Kamado" is an archaic Japanese word for "kitchen" or "hearth", and "uma" means "horse".

I've only ever seem to encounter these things while sitting on the toilet.
posted by KokuRyu at 8:40 PM on December 15, 2011

Camel Cricket
posted by OmieWise at 5:40 AM on December 16, 2011