Giant Insect!
December 10, 2004 4:37 PM Subscribe
I found a giant 2" insect in our car port about a month ago and took a few pictures of it but let it go. Did I do the wrong thing? [pictures and more inside]
I live in Southern California and the insect was spotted at night. It looks sort of like a swollen giant ant but googling and bugguide.net has not helped me identify the creature. Did I do the wrong thing by letting it grow? Is Southern California about to be destroyed by an army of these huge things?
I live in Southern California and the insect was spotted at night. It looks sort of like a swollen giant ant but googling and bugguide.net has not helped me identify the creature. Did I do the wrong thing by letting it grow? Is Southern California about to be destroyed by an army of these huge things?
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The pictures won't load.
posted by bonheur at 4:49 PM on December 10, 2004
The pictures won't load.
posted by bonheur at 4:49 PM on December 10, 2004
(aka potato bug).
Yuck, if that the bug have seen it many times in So. Calif. That was the one bug that freaked me out enough to not squish.
posted by thomcatspike at 4:56 PM on December 10, 2004
Yuck, if that the bug have seen it many times in So. Calif. That was the one bug that freaked me out enough to not squish.
posted by thomcatspike at 4:56 PM on December 10, 2004
What you found is usually called a Jerusalem Cricket or sometimes a potato bug.
As far as I know they're natives. You did the right thing.
And they're quiet unsettling to stumble upon even if you know what they are, and not only because they're large. That's one meaty lookin' bug.
From what I hear, if you find them indoors they're basically lost or sick. I think they prefer to be rooting around in undergrowth and leaf mulch, so they're not really inside foraging for food or anything.
If you ever spend any time in the local high deserts, you might stumble across sun spiders, which are also pretty buggy in a StarShip Troopers kinda way. In the wild they look at first glance like scorpions, and they tend to trigger the same flight instincts.
posted by loquacious at 5:00 PM on December 10, 2004
As far as I know they're natives. You did the right thing.
And they're quiet unsettling to stumble upon even if you know what they are, and not only because they're large. That's one meaty lookin' bug.
From what I hear, if you find them indoors they're basically lost or sick. I think they prefer to be rooting around in undergrowth and leaf mulch, so they're not really inside foraging for food or anything.
If you ever spend any time in the local high deserts, you might stumble across sun spiders, which are also pretty buggy in a StarShip Troopers kinda way. In the wild they look at first glance like scorpions, and they tend to trigger the same flight instincts.
posted by loquacious at 5:00 PM on December 10, 2004
Response by poster: That looks like it, thank you MikeKD. I have to say I'm relieved that it wasn't a queen something pulsing with eggs...
posted by hindmost at 5:00 PM on December 10, 2004
posted by hindmost at 5:00 PM on December 10, 2004
Interesting. Where I grew up, a "potato bug" was a sow bug. Never seen one of these here things.
posted by rushmc at 5:34 PM on December 10, 2004
posted by rushmc at 5:34 PM on December 10, 2004
From loquacious's link: Commonly referred to as "potato bugs," even though they do not prefer potatoes and are technically not bugs
... there's a technical definition of "bug"?
posted by kindall at 5:52 PM on December 10, 2004
... there's a technical definition of "bug"?
posted by kindall at 5:52 PM on December 10, 2004
Yeah, bugs are members of the family Hemiptera (ttrue butgs) in the Insect order. Other insects are called "bugs" but only members of that family are really bugs.
And that is a Jerusalem Cricket. They're called Terra Ninos (Earth Baby) in Spanish. They look to me like they're made from plastic - like Bakelite - so they look like little toy baby dolls.
Well, to me at least. I know from personal experience that they can give a nasty bite when handled but otherwise are harmless.
posted by TimeFactor at 6:08 PM on December 10, 2004
And that is a Jerusalem Cricket. They're called Terra Ninos (Earth Baby) in Spanish. They look to me like they're made from plastic - like Bakelite - so they look like little toy baby dolls.
Well, to me at least. I know from personal experience that they can give a nasty bite when handled but otherwise are harmless.
posted by TimeFactor at 6:08 PM on December 10, 2004
Harmless except for the bite?
I once met a German Shepherd like that.
posted by waldo at 6:40 PM on December 10, 2004
I once met a German Shepherd like that.
posted by waldo at 6:40 PM on December 10, 2004
Eeewwww!
They look to me like they're made from plastic - like Bakelite
I'll bet they make a nasty cracking sound when you step on them, just like Bakelite.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 6:40 PM on December 10, 2004
They look to me like they're made from plastic - like Bakelite
I'll bet they make a nasty cracking sound when you step on them, just like Bakelite.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 6:40 PM on December 10, 2004
The "Potato Bug" Website.
"Spring Potato Bug Strata"
"8 servings
Preparation Time: 30 Minutes
Cooking Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
No-stick cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 medium leeks, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups coarsely chopped red bell peppers
1 package (8 ounces) sliced mushrooms
2 1/2 pounds potato bugs (about 25 medium sized bugs) snap off legs
2 1/2 cups shredded Fontina or Swiss cheese, divided
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves crushed (optional)
Heat oven to 375ºF. Lightly spray 13 x 9-inch baking dish with no-stick cooking spray; set aside. In large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat until melted. Cook and stir leeks and garlic 1 to 2 minutes or until leeks are tender. Add bell peppers and mushrooms; cook 4 to 6 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender. Remove from heat; set aside. Layer 1/2 of the potato bugs onto bottom of prepared dish; sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the cheese. Spoon vegetable mixture over cheese. Layer remaining potato bugs over vegetables. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and thyme (if desired); pour evenly over potato bugs. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 1 hour or until potato bugs are almost tender. Remove foil; top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until top is golden and potato bugs are tender. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes; cut into 8 servings. YUM!"
posted by five fresh fish at 6:49 PM on December 10, 2004
"Spring Potato Bug Strata"
"8 servings
Preparation Time: 30 Minutes
Cooking Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
No-stick cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 medium leeks, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups coarsely chopped red bell peppers
1 package (8 ounces) sliced mushrooms
2 1/2 pounds potato bugs (about 25 medium sized bugs) snap off legs
2 1/2 cups shredded Fontina or Swiss cheese, divided
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves crushed (optional)
Heat oven to 375ºF. Lightly spray 13 x 9-inch baking dish with no-stick cooking spray; set aside. In large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat until melted. Cook and stir leeks and garlic 1 to 2 minutes or until leeks are tender. Add bell peppers and mushrooms; cook 4 to 6 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender. Remove from heat; set aside. Layer 1/2 of the potato bugs onto bottom of prepared dish; sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the cheese. Spoon vegetable mixture over cheese. Layer remaining potato bugs over vegetables. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and thyme (if desired); pour evenly over potato bugs. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 1 hour or until potato bugs are almost tender. Remove foil; top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until top is golden and potato bugs are tender. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes; cut into 8 servings. YUM!"
posted by five fresh fish at 6:49 PM on December 10, 2004
that thing is incredible. it's like a fucking jackalope cricket!
posted by glenwood at 7:10 PM on December 10, 2004
posted by glenwood at 7:10 PM on December 10, 2004
I meant harmless in the sense that if you don't pick them up they won't bite you. I mean, it isn't as though they'll chase you down and bite your neck and suck out all your blood. Well, I don't think so. YMMV
posted by TimeFactor at 8:12 PM on December 10, 2004
posted by TimeFactor at 8:12 PM on December 10, 2004
Am I the only one who knows this critter as a "mole cricket"?
posted by bshort at 9:04 PM on December 10, 2004
posted by bshort at 9:04 PM on December 10, 2004
Mole crickets look rather different - like some frog/crawdad/cricket mutant. Ick.
posted by Sangre Azul at 9:23 PM on December 10, 2004
posted by Sangre Azul at 9:23 PM on December 10, 2004
God! For some reason, I always kind of felt like if bugs were bigger, they'd be less gross. (Less likely to scuttle away underneath things, I guess) But this damn thing proves me wrong!
posted by idontlikewords at 12:17 AM on December 11, 2004
posted by idontlikewords at 12:17 AM on December 11, 2004
Metafilter- it isn't as though they'll chase you down and bite your neck and suck out all your blood.
posted by Megafly at 6:51 AM on December 11, 2004
posted by Megafly at 6:51 AM on December 11, 2004
Yuppers. Jerusalem.
I have to say I'm relieved that it wasn't a queen something pulsing with eggs...
Well, it does look like a female. So it could be pulsing with eggs... but it isn't as though they'll ALL chase you down and bite your neck and suck out all your blood. Only a few.
posted by metaculpa at 7:18 AM on December 11, 2004
I have to say I'm relieved that it wasn't a queen something pulsing with eggs...
Well, it does look like a female. So it could be pulsing with eggs... but it isn't as though they'll ALL chase you down and bite your neck and suck out all your blood. Only a few.
posted by metaculpa at 7:18 AM on December 11, 2004
As a native Virginian, a "potato bug" is the same thing as a "Roley Poley" (there's got to be a better spoelling for that). But we may be mistakenly calling them "potato bugs". I use the latter 99% of the time anyway.
posted by Witty at 7:56 AM on December 11, 2004
posted by Witty at 7:56 AM on December 11, 2004
We called them a "Child of the Earth" (same as Terras Ninos, I guess) because legend said that if you killed one it made a noise like a baby crying.
Fucking freaky, eh.
Also, they eat scorpions (according to my aunt the entomogist.)
Also, I'm glad that I've moved to Chicago where the weirdest bug I've seen is a centipede (even though I know there are probably a million more creepazoids that I do NOT need to hear about, thank you) and I never have to check my bed for a scorpion again.
posted by sugarfish at 8:46 AM on December 11, 2004
Fucking freaky, eh.
Also, they eat scorpions (according to my aunt the entomogist.)
Also, I'm glad that I've moved to Chicago where the weirdest bug I've seen is a centipede (even though I know there are probably a million more creepazoids that I do NOT need to hear about, thank you) and I never have to check my bed for a scorpion again.
posted by sugarfish at 8:46 AM on December 11, 2004
In WI, potato bugs are also called pill bugs, as pictured in Witty's link.
posted by drezdn at 8:51 AM on December 11, 2004
posted by drezdn at 8:51 AM on December 11, 2004
In my experience, potato bugs are... well, bugs that live on potato plants. Wedge-shaped veggie-eaters, IIRC.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:27 AM on December 11, 2004
posted by five fresh fish at 9:27 AM on December 11, 2004
This is the potato bug. It deserves the name, since it does actually eat potato plants. Every potato farmer knows it.
posted by sfenders at 9:37 AM on December 11, 2004
posted by sfenders at 9:37 AM on December 11, 2004
In WI, potato bugs are also called pill bugs
What? In my part of WI, this is a pill bug. Not nearly creepy enough for this thread.
posted by Tubes at 9:50 AM on December 11, 2004
What? In my part of WI, this is a pill bug. Not nearly creepy enough for this thread.
posted by Tubes at 9:50 AM on December 11, 2004
because legend said that if you killed one it made a noise like a baby crying.
Now that is some fucked up shit right there.
Oh, and pill bug == roley poley in my neck of the woods.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 2:59 PM on December 11, 2004
Now that is some fucked up shit right there.
Oh, and pill bug == roley poley in my neck of the woods.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 2:59 PM on December 11, 2004
That is a SoCal potato bug. The roley-poley is a SoCal pill bug. The common names are regional, and I wish I could find an old website that listed their equivalents in other parts of the country.
They squeak when you squish 'em. If my vivid childhood memories are correct.
posted by goofyfoot at 6:03 PM on December 11, 2004
They squeak when you squish 'em. If my vivid childhood memories are correct.
posted by goofyfoot at 6:03 PM on December 11, 2004
This thread is closed to new comments.
Actually, it looks like a Jerusalem Cricket (aka potato bug).
posted by MikeKD at 4:48 PM on December 10, 2004