What's the identity of this Monster Bug?
March 27, 2006 1:01 PM Subscribe
Help me identify this monster bug.
One of my housemates called me outside a couple weeks ago to take a look at a huge bug he found on our front walkway. He took several pictures, all of them you can find by clicking here. The insect was about two and a half to three inchese long.
So far, our best guess as to what it might've been was just a large cricket larval stage. However, we both admit to having very little experience in this department.
Anyone have any better idea as to what it was that was crawling around outside our front door?
One of my housemates called me outside a couple weeks ago to take a look at a huge bug he found on our front walkway. He took several pictures, all of them you can find by clicking here. The insect was about two and a half to three inchese long.
So far, our best guess as to what it might've been was just a large cricket larval stage. However, we both admit to having very little experience in this department.
Anyone have any better idea as to what it was that was crawling around outside our front door?
Jinx!
posted by interrobang at 1:07 PM on March 27, 2006
posted by interrobang at 1:07 PM on March 27, 2006
I can't seem to get anything but the thumbnails of that bug, but it seems like a Potato Bug. Scariest thing I've ever seen. The first time I saw one of these (in California), I thought it had to be poisonous.
posted by tom_g at 1:13 PM on March 27, 2006
posted by tom_g at 1:13 PM on March 27, 2006
Try submitting the pictures to http://www.whatsthatbug.com/ !
posted by catkins at 1:33 PM on March 27, 2006
posted by catkins at 1:33 PM on March 27, 2006
Another vote for Jerusalem Cricket. I dug some up (while making my garden) when I first moved to CA - thought for sure they would bite, but they never have bothered us or kids. They seem to hibernate underground in the winter.
Wife of 445supermag
posted by 445supermag at 2:01 PM on March 27, 2006
Wife of 445supermag
posted by 445supermag at 2:01 PM on March 27, 2006
When I was a very young child my dad had a truckload of sand poured into our backyard for... some reason, I can't remember why exactly. But while playing outside with my brother and my dog and sitting on top of the sand mound I saw what I *think* was one of of these guys crawling around near me. Scared the living piss out of me.
posted by kryptondog at 7:52 PM on March 27, 2006
posted by kryptondog at 7:52 PM on March 27, 2006
Not sure how much info you're looking for, myodometer, but just in case:
Jerusalem cricket, potato bug, and Nino del Tierre (Child of the Earth) are all common names for any of the North American (at least) members of the family Stenopelmatidae, particularly those in the genus Stenopelmatus, all of which look pretty much the same to me. To some orthopterists, that's all of the stenopelmatids, but to others the Stenopelmatidae includes the wetas. "Mormon cricket" refers to a particular katydid, Anabrus simplex, at least as common names are adjudicated in North America by the Entomological society of America. A. simplex was in the news a few years back when a bumper crop shut down highways and small towns in Utah and Nevada. Both are in the Orthoptera, and more specifically both are in the Ensifera.
Anyhoo, Stenelpelmatus likes to hang out under the dirt and eat decaying crap, and when it rains they come up to the surface or sneak into basements and scare the crap out of people.
The so-called "true crickets" are the Gryllidae, in case anyone's keeping track.
posted by Eothele at 9:17 PM on March 27, 2006
Jerusalem cricket, potato bug, and Nino del Tierre (Child of the Earth) are all common names for any of the North American (at least) members of the family Stenopelmatidae, particularly those in the genus Stenopelmatus, all of which look pretty much the same to me. To some orthopterists, that's all of the stenopelmatids, but to others the Stenopelmatidae includes the wetas. "Mormon cricket" refers to a particular katydid, Anabrus simplex, at least as common names are adjudicated in North America by the Entomological society of America. A. simplex was in the news a few years back when a bumper crop shut down highways and small towns in Utah and Nevada. Both are in the Orthoptera, and more specifically both are in the Ensifera.
Anyhoo, Stenelpelmatus likes to hang out under the dirt and eat decaying crap, and when it rains they come up to the surface or sneak into basements and scare the crap out of people.
The so-called "true crickets" are the Gryllidae, in case anyone's keeping track.
posted by Eothele at 9:17 PM on March 27, 2006
Damn you all! It's a mole cricket. Potato bugs look like this.
There was a mefi post about this but the search function is abusing me right now and I can't find it.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 9:21 PM on March 27, 2006
There was a mefi post about this but the search function is abusing me right now and I can't find it.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 9:21 PM on March 27, 2006
Yeah...eothele....like you really know what yer talkin' about. psh.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 9:23 PM on March 27, 2006
posted by Baby_Balrog at 9:23 PM on March 27, 2006
Just an aside, growing up, we always reserved the name "potato bug" for pillbugs. I think it's a regional thing though.
posted by antifuse at 4:04 AM on March 28, 2006
posted by antifuse at 4:04 AM on March 28, 2006
In Northern California, we called those 'potato bugs'.
I caught one for a bug-collecting class as a kid. I also caught a bee. Put them both in a jar with a couple tiny nail holes for air.
When I got up and checked on them the next morning, there was only a potato bug in the jar.
I swear it was smiling.
posted by Malor at 4:52 AM on March 28, 2006
I caught one for a bug-collecting class as a kid. I also caught a bee. Put them both in a jar with a couple tiny nail holes for air.
When I got up and checked on them the next morning, there was only a potato bug in the jar.
I swear it was smiling.
posted by Malor at 4:52 AM on March 28, 2006
Also covered in the blue a while back.
There's only one prescription for a potato bug infestation: Fire, and lots of it. Although holy water couldn't hurt either.
posted by Gamblor at 7:13 AM on March 28, 2006
There's only one prescription for a potato bug infestation: Fire, and lots of it. Although holy water couldn't hurt either.
posted by Gamblor at 7:13 AM on March 28, 2006
I seem to recall these really stinking horribly when crushed- can anyone confirm/deny?
posted by Four Flavors at 9:28 AM on March 28, 2006
posted by Four Flavors at 9:28 AM on March 28, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by paxton at 1:05 PM on March 27, 2006