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Potato Bugs, Wetas and Parktown PrawnsUnsual bug in the garden
December 11, 2009
I was tying back some plants in preparation for rain…soon after that I saw a large bug (quarter sized) that looks like a mutation of a grasshopper, an ant, and a bee. Not sure what this could be…Is it a beneficiary garden bug or a pest? Thanks!
Calie
Southern California
Potato Bug
Hi Calie,
This has to be one of our favorite images of a Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket ever. The Navajo name for this amazing creature translates to Skull Insect and the Spanish name translates to Child of the Earth, both of which refer to the almost human characteristics. Your photo reminds us a bit of a naughty puppy trying to dig its way under the fence. Potato Bugs are subterranean dwellers that feed on roots and they are generally sighted in the winter. Rains often force them to the surface. We don’t consider them to be harmful, but they do have powerful jaws and they will not hesitate to give a painful pinch if carelessly handled.
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