BUG OF THE MONTH MAY 2009: Lawn Shrimp

bugman

May 1st, 2009 at 9:11 am

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Bug cult found dead on kitchen floor.
Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 3:54 AM
I went into my kitchen earlier today and saw brown spots on my floor, I lean in to see what it was. Hundreds of dead bugs lay on my kitchen floor all dead like some kind of bug cult that just drank the cool aid.
I have no idea what kind of bugs these are, they kind of look like little roaches, maybe bed bugs, I dunno.
It was just after a pretty big storm, also I have a punching bag that I brought in before the storm and am hoping they didnt some how come from that…
Geoffrey
Houston, Texas

Lawn Shrimp

Hi Geoffrey,
We have decided that your highly entertaining and descriptive letter and photo of Lawn Shrimp will be our featured Bug of the Month for May. Lawn Shrimp are terrestrial amphipods, an order of Crustaceans. They live in ivy, shrubbery and fallen leaves and go virtually unnoticed until it rains, at which time they enter homes and die in great numbers. They are also called House Hoppers and are in the family Talitridae. According to Charles Hogue in his book Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, the species found in Los Angeles, and quite possibly Houston, is Talistroides sylvaticus. They are gray while alive and turn pink or orange after dying.

Lawn Shrimp (November 30, 2008)
Lawn Shrimp (December 21, 2005)
Lawn Shrimp or House Hopper (January 9, 2005)
Lawn Shrimp (October 16, 2009)
Lawn Shrimp or Househoppers (October 25, 2009)