Sunday, July 05, 2009

Big A** Bug

Ok, this is creepy. What the Hell is this? We were on our patio and it was getting dark and my Husband looked down and said "Is that a Bug?" Oh My God, Yes! What is it? It was almost 2 inches long and looked like a really bad ass ant! Sorry for the language but they don't have things like this in Missouri! If you know what this is, please let me know. I think we have moved too close to Los Angeles and it is a Transformer. It is going to turn into an Automobile or Bus or something! Decepticon!


Update: It is called a Dark Jerusalem Cricket. I have 2 web sites below that describe it. It is also called a "Potato Bug". We had "Potato Bugs" in Missouri but they were a quarter inch long and were also known as "Rolly Polly's". Big difference! I think I will keep these insect guides handy!

http://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Dark-Jerusalem-Cricket

http://bugguide.net/node/view/39450

10 comments:

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Don't know what that is.
My motto is unless its a Roach, Termite or Black Widow..forget about it.

Now if it was in the HOUSE, that would be a totally diffrent story.

Melisa Bakos said...

If you have it in a jar you can take it to a exterminator place and they will identify it I have never seen one but it looks like the termite from the tv comercial only that one was the size of an adult in a costume. I would definiatly get it Identified though. Best wishes
Melisa

Unknown said...

Hi Kerri, I grew up not too far from there and we used to call those giant hideous things potato bugs. We have 'em in northern California too.

Anonymous said...

That is a potato bug and they are one of the few bugs that I will actually run away from! Something about them just grosses me out! Fortunately, we don't have many if any here in Livermore, CA but I remember them well when I was up in Eureka, CA visiting family.

allie aller said...

I guess it is a little too creepy to put on a crazy quilt....

gocrazywithme said...

Kerry,
I have seen something like that twice before, here in western Colorado. My mom called it a vinegaroon, but I've seen pictures of those and that was not it. Now I know. You've found the answer to a 40 year old mystery!

I noticed on the second website you listed that it said they make good pets. Are you keeping yours?

Kerri Murphy said...

I saw the pet thing too. I think I will stick with Cats!

LouAnne said...

Kerry: Out here your Missouri potato bugs are known as SowBugs. My kids called them rolly pollies when they were kids. We recently found out they aren't as harmless as we thought because G found a "herd" of em all over one of his 8-ball Zucchini eating tracks in it. Needless to say we cut that one & chucked it! We've never had them as a pest in the garden before this year. The bug that visited YOUR backyard doesn't look like the Potato Bugs we had when I was a kid. They were almost white and they JUMPED! So did I! LOL

Cathi said...

Ick! I hate potato bugs. Just because they're so scary looking! As LouAnne pointed out, have rolly pollies (sowbugs) here in CA too.

Robin. said...

i live in northern california and just saw one of these tonight. i have lived here all my life and have only seen one one other time, last summer! we were starting to wonder if they were some new mutant bug :o)

thanks for helping us identify it!