In the words of Steve Urkel ... "I've fallen and I can't get up!" I decided to put this picture up just to gross everyone out. I'd like to say he was struggling to get up, but he wasn't. He was good and dead. I saw this thing as we were walking out of our house for the last time in California the day we left to move to Montana. There he was, in all his gravely glory, sunbathing on the rocks next to the pool. Ick, ick, ick. You know me and how I always have my camera. I couldn't resist -- "Smile and say cheese!"I have always known these things as potato bugs, but they're actually called Jerusalem crickets. That's funny in itself because they're not really crickets nor are they true bugs and they don't eat potatoes. They're found in the western US, along the Pacific coast and down into Mexico. I'm not quite sure where the name Jerusalem fits in. If you do a search on them, most pictures will show views from their back. This picture is bizarre because he's belly up. He looks like either an alien or a really ugly little bald man. I'm not real fond of bugs. It's worms that give me the real willies. But there he was, posing so peacefully. It was hard to not take his picture. Oh, and by the way, I left him there so the new owners could enjoy him as well.
Ahhh...what a cute housewarming gift..He has his arms wide open like he is waiting to embrace the new owners...grin...
ReplyDeleteLOL Brenda! Just so you know I'm not totally heartless and cruel, we did leave them a housewarming gift of huckleberry taffy, syrup, pancake mix, jam & coffee. I hope it was a much nicer surprise than the one they found out by the pool. ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat an odd pose for any bug to die in. Aren't those things huge? Or am I thinking of the Weta, a ginormous insect from New Zealand...
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weta
Anyway, great pic, Rena. :)
Gale
Yeah Gale, it is an odd position. Maybe he was dropped by a bird or something. It was pretty big, several inches I'd say. Major on the ICK-factor, that's for sure.
ReplyDeletethats one weird looking "bug"
ReplyDeleteDid not know you were blogging, glad you are, I love your pics.
Dee
I don't know. He looks kind of welcoming. If I had to find a mutant bug on my new back porch, at least I'd want one that welcomed me with open... er... open arms?
ReplyDeleteMy dog sleeps in that same position!
ReplyDeleteI've only encountered one of those creatures, but my husband saw lots of them growing up in Mexico. There they are also called baby faces. He and his cousins used to throw them at each other.
Hi Dee! Thanks for stopping by. The blogging this is fairly new to me still. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL Carrie! He does look like he wants to give someone a great big hug, doesn't he?
Adrienne -- Yeah, I was reading all the names for them and saw the one about baby faces. I think there's a Spanish name for them that has that. LOL @ your cousins throwing them at each other. Ewwwww! I'd faint!