YIN YANG
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2012-10-06 07:53 PM |
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HA! I skipped the pics, just to get to the bottom of the screen and tell you that! LOL
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BULLSEYEB
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2012-10-06 08:11 PM |
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Ohhhhhh....ugggggghhhhhh...eeeerrrrggggg...the large close up photo was really horrifying! I can't stand these buggers! Potato Bug, Jerusalem Cricket, Nina de la Tierra, Child of the Earth, or as my mom called them, Earth Babies. I don't care what the actual name is, I call them gross! Back in 1984 when I lived at Francisco Torres, another girl two guys and I were walking into IV one night to go to dinner. It was windy out and we were walking on the street right under a big tree 1/2 way between two light posts when all of a sudden I felt something thunk on my shoulder. I looked left and there was a rather large potato bug rearing up on it's back legs, front legs waving in the air mere inches from my face. I swatted at it in an attempt to brush it from my shoulder while making an all too girly shriek. That bugger didn't go anywhere! The barbs on its back legs were stuck to my sweater. It began to make an horrific high pitched squealing sound while menacingly opening and closing its jaws! I freaked out and peeled my sweater top off leaving myself standing in the middle of the street with only my bra and skirt on. I threw my sweater at my friend Mike and yelled, "Get it off! Get it off!" The other guy and girl were hysterically laughing and Mike was trying to turn my sweater right side out in order to reach the potato bug. All the while the bug was shrieking and Mike was dancing around with the heebie jeebies as he had to touch the beast to dislodge its legs. Once the bug fell to the ground, it ran off faster than any of us expected. We all ran in the opposite direction into the circular glow of the street light. Mike handed me my sweater and I righted myself. It was about this time when we looked up to see a squad car parked just beyond the street light in the dark with the officer laughing his head off as we did our best to walk nonchalantly past him. Ahhh, the memories of my dorm days replete with prehistoric looking Earth Babies, public undressing and local squad cars. Gee, Dan, Thanks for sharing the photos. *Shudder*
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BULLSEYEB
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2012-10-06 08:13 PM |
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Sorry, not Dan, David. Oops! see how flustered you made me?!
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COMMENT 328733
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2012-10-06 08:25 PM |
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Bulleye - your story gave me the creeps. I'd seriously die if that happened to me.
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REXOFSB
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2012-10-06 08:30 PM |
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When I was growing up on the Westside, potato bugs were all over the place. One actually got into my grandfather's bed one night and bit him on the back, which apparently hurt like hell. That said, I haven't seen a potato bug here on the Westside in years. We also used to have red ants here, but apparently not any more. Mind you, I'm not complaining. Come to think of it, I haven't even encountered any earwigs for a long, long time.
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MTNDRIVER
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2012-10-06 08:32 PM |
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I scream or at least jump every time I see one of these in my garden--almost always when digging in the veggie beds. Poor guys! It's not their fault they look like something out of a nightmare. But I just never get used to them.
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COMMENT 328743P
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2012-10-06 09:08 PM |
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Thanks! Now I have another bug to be creeped out by. And, to know that they can scream as well only serves to heighten my displeasure.
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COMMENT 328747P
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2012-10-06 09:26 PM |
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I was told by a cartoonist for Disney years ago that the potato bug standing on its back legs was the model for the Jiminy Cricket character used in the Pinocchio movie. Don't know for sure that it is the truth, but that is what I was told.
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BULLSEYEB
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2012-10-06 09:36 PM |
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Oh 747P...that is just wrong...bursting my Jiminy Cricket bubble...:(
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JOJOFLYS
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2012-10-06 11:13 PM |
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I've always thought these bugs to be beautiful and fascinating in a very creepy way.
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LALALALA
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2012-10-07 02:45 AM |
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Oh!!! I could barely look these pics, ewww!!! I share the loathe of these creatures, and this isn't even a big one! I lived in a place on the Riviera that was full of them. I had one INSIDE the duvet cover on my bed one night, oh god. I hear they are poisonous to dogs. My friend's Jack Russell ate one and almost died.
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EMUWREN1
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2012-10-07 03:41 AM |
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Phenomenal photos, Dave. Thanks so much. I love, love, LOVE these guys. My yard is loaded with them, as everything is organic and this is a happy place to be. I have seen Jerusalem Crickets in every size, right down to the teeny-tiny young ones. I saw a medium-sized one two days ago. They have yet to bite me. I sometimes relocate them (bare-handed) when I am digging in the soil to plant something. I have accidentally cut them in two with my shovel on many occasions. It always makes me feel horribly sad and distressed. Never have I heard one make a sound, but I know they are fascinating and one of the signs that your soil is healthy.
I don't believe they are harmful to dogs, but I wouldn't allow my dogs to eat one. No. No eating the garden residents. I am sorry to hear that the Westside seems to have less J.C.s and earwigs and such. The likely cause is use of pesticides and commercial high-nitrogen fertilizers. What a shame.
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COMMENT 328773P
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2012-10-07 07:38 AM |
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Awwww -- I had one as a pet in jr. high school. As I recall, for a bug, it seemed to have quite a bit of personality because it was strong and wanted to go where it want to go - burrowed down between my fingers with those scratchy little claws and would will eat food from my fingers. (I don't recall what I fed it.) I liked its shininess and stripes. Its body was soft and fragile - I had to be careful with it, not a bad lesson for a kid. And its nips were harmless and delivered judiciously considering a kid was handling it.
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RDH
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2012-10-07 07:55 AM |
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Although Dave you have a great distaste for these creatures, your photos make them, well, almost appealing.
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SYVPEANUT
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2012-10-07 09:15 AM |
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Bullseyeb, that story had tears of laughter running down my cheeks! Just think of the skillful college student that was capable of precisely throwing a potato bug onto a pretty unsuspecting girl walking by his dorm to watch the spectacle unfold! We have a winner...the shirt is off!!
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SBJULES
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2012-10-07 09:18 AM |
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I have always found them creepy. Great photos.
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FLICKA
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2012-10-07 09:32 AM |
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When I dig for planting and unearth a potato bug, a scrub jay will swoop down to eat it if I'm far enough away. 747, looks like Jiminy Cricket, thanks for the tid-bit. David, could you please post pictures of the State Park after all the Eucs are gone?
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COMMENT 328803
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2012-10-07 09:42 AM |
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Hahah..... love that close up where you managed to get it to make eye contact with the camera. It knows you now and will come looking for you.
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COMMENT 328805
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2012-10-07 09:45 AM |
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Early 70's, boyfriend's house on Mountain Drive, sneaking into bed together to find: ACK! POTATO BUG! Big scream, gave us away... no fun that day. Thanks for the memories.
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COMMENT 328867
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2012-10-07 12:04 PM |
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Bats LOVE to eat these guys! They hang above our front door and comsume everything except the large back legs. In the mornings we find them strewn about and know they've had another feast.
UGHHH
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AQUAHOLIC
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2012-10-07 12:11 PM |
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Potato Bugs get around...I've always found them buried deep in the soil...never knew they climbed trees ;-) Creepy yes, but I've learned to appreciate them, sorta.
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COMMENT 328967
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2012-10-07 04:19 PM |
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Great "potato bug" shots, thanks! hilarious and interesting comments! I too encountered the "alien" bug that creeped onto my bed cover about 8 years ago, upper westside! Jiminy Crickets!! - that b-b-bug was BIG!!! One morning I awoke to a repeated set of raspy, hissing sounds - thought I was having an out of body nightmare! Upon awakening, followed the sound. Finally, located the "cretin" who had invaded my bed was buried in the folds of my down comforter. Thankfully, unlike RexofSB's grandpa, it didn't nip me and got swiftly transported out! The sound was the cricket's hind legs rubbing together, it was communicating with me as I was it's sleeping predator!
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AGENTSME
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2012-10-07 07:04 PM |
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ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! creeeeeeeepy!
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COMMENT 333704P
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2012-10-20 04:50 PM |
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2 opposable thumbs on each claw, flesh ripping barbs, flesh piercing hook - potatobugs.com.
I like em. They're very shy, like black widows. Bees and wasps freak me out cause they'll chase you down if you bug em and they're in the right mood.
I hate it when I'm digging in my yard and accidentally dismember one.
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