Bug of the Month: January 2007 – Potato Bug

bugman

December 29th, 2006 at 1:00 am

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Please tell me what It is.
Hi Bugman,
I hope you could tell me what this is too. I found this in Los Angeles, California near DownTown Los Angeles on December 14, 2006. It didn’t move even if I threw a quarter or a penny. It’s more than 2"x1"x1". I believe it doesn’t have any wings and the shape might look like a bee w/o wings, or a giant ant. Hope to hear from you soon. Best Regards,
Tak S.

Hi Tak,
This is probably our most common insect query subject from southern California. This is a Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket. They are subterranean dwellers that are often discovered in gardens, especially in the winter and spring during rainy season. Potato Bugs are in the family Stenopelmatidae, and in the genus Stenopelmatus. They eat roots and tubers. Because of their unusual appearance, there are many myths and superstitions about these fascinating creatures.

Potato Bug (December 29, 2006)
Potato Bugs (June 6, 2003)
Potato Bug (December 10, 2008)
Potato Bug comes in out of the rain (February 25, 2009)
Potato Bug (May 10, 2009)