Potato Bugs, Jerusalem Crickets and Wetas
rss Huge Ant?
April 12, 2010
Friends and I were hiking the Solstice Canyon trail two weeks ago in the Santa Monica Mountains in Southern California and happend across this bug. I wish I would have photographed it with something for size reference, but it was about 2 inches long and roughly the circumference of my thumb.
Dominic
Santa Monica Mountains, Malibu, CA
Potato Bug
Hi Dominic,
People who encounter Potato Bugs or Jerusalem Crickets for the first time often mistake them for giant ants.
Potato Bug Photo
January 11, 2010
Here’s an image for your archives. Thanks to your site I could identify this crazy looking bug.
Courtesy, James Steidl
James Group Studios, Inc.
San Diego
Potato Bug
Dear James,
Your lovely professional portraits of a Potato Bug are a welcome addition to our archives. The excellent quality of your images and the sensitive portrait techniques should help to make the Potato Bug a face that more than just a mother can love. So that we could maximize the reproduction size on the website, we have taken the liberty of cropping your composite into its component shots.
Potato Bug
Unsual 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.
Never seen before!
December 6, 2009
My cat brought this unusual looking bug to my dog door late at night and was making a ruckus. I wouldn’t have been so inquisitive, except I couldn’t believe the size of this thing. Approximately the size of a business card. Can you please identify?
Jus Jeff
Mission Viejo, Califonia
Potato Bug
Hi Jus Jeff,
There have been a flurry of ID requests for Potato Bugs or Jerusalem Crickets from California in the past few days, so despite having countless letters and photos on our site, we figured it was time to post a new one. Your photo was among the best.
Mammoth bee-looking-spider
November 16, 2009
We stepped out of our house here in Pasadena, CA to go for a walk. In front of my neighbor’s house, we saw an insect moving on the sidewalk like Addams Family’s “The Thing.” You can hear it walking on the cement. I assumed that it might move fast when we had got closer. Instead, it moved slow, and when we had gotten closer and it stood still. It didn’t raise it’s legs in defense like some bugs. The head was golden yellow, the body yellow/brown, and the end was striped yellow and brown. We left it alone, came back, and it was ran over (probably by a bike). My lady said there was four legs; I thought it was three because it looked like a bee, but it didn’t have wings. Every body part was thick, like it was taking steroids. I left it at night, came back in the morning, and it was gone. I need your help. I’ve not seen anything this big since Mexico. I’m having a baby soon and would like to know what’s crawling around my neighborhood. Any help would be awesome. I drew four legs, but it might be three legs.
Andres Dorame
Pasadena, CA 91106
Sketch of Golden Orbweaver, we believe
Dear Andres,
Though your sketch is lovely, it makes it difficult to be certain of an identification. We are guessing you encountered a Golden Orbweaver, Argiope aurantia, a harmless spider that builds a circular web in the garden. The spiders are quite helpless if knocked out of the web, and they will not leave their webs to hunt, preferring instead to snare flying insects that become trapped. Golden Orbweavers pose no threat to humans, despite the large size.
A Differing Opinion
November 18, 2009
Golden Orbweaver OR Potatoe Bug!?
Hey bug lovers! I know I am not an expert like you guys/ladies but the last post about the “Golden Orbweaver” with the drawn picture sounds like a potatoe bug to me. I have been pretty much obsessed with those bugs lately and that picture and description sounds like a potatoe bug to me.. But like I said, I’m not the expert! 
Just thought i’d give me input… Love the sight! Keep up the great work!
Amber
Good Call Amber,
You are probably correct, though the drawing shows eight legs and not six. The written description does tend to indicate a Potato Bug. Tring to make an identification based on a simple drawing takes a bit of creative license.
IT HAS TOES FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!
November 17, 2009
Dear King of Bug-kind,
Yes, we are girls, but we are usually fairly cool-headed. This thing has the body of an ant, the legs of a spider, the stripes of a honey comb, and seems as if one can plug it in and make it a light! It is the lenth of my index finger (adult medium). It is the width of my thumb. It has six legs with five toes, AND the middle toe is veeerry long on the back two legs. It has feelers and is trying to feel its way into our apartment. I want answers and I want help.
Sally Case & Nikki Cramer
Hermosa Beach, CA
Potato Bug
Dear Sally and Nikki,
Potato Bugs or Jerusalem Crickets are quite common in Southern California. They are quite harmless, though they do have strong jaws and will not hesitate to bite if provoked. Their somewhat human appearance has led to the common name Children of the Earth. Potato Bugs are one of our most common identification requests, and we only post a fraction of the letters regarding them that we receive. Your letter really amuses us, so we are posting it.
Giant Termite?
November 5, 2009
Dear Experts,
we found this creature in a sink in our house in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. It is much bigger than any giant termite described on your website or in wikipedia, but looks similar in shape.
You can see on the picture that its head is only a little smaller than the dime.
When we tried to catch it, it disappeared into the drain, and lived in the water for several days, but kept coming up (for air?).
We tried to tease it out with a pipe cleaner to catch it, but it attacked the pipe cleaner, biting it, and pulling it from our hands.
This is a very strong and energetic bug.
It is sensitive to light and sound. When we caught it, it was a pale beige in color, probably from being under water. But within 30 minutes or so, it regained its black-and-brown-stripe pattern.
We would love to know what this is. And also, what it eats, as my kids would like to keep for a few days.
Curious Angeleno
Los Angeles, CA
Potato Bug
Dear Curious Angeleno,
We have received so many identification requests for Potato Bugs or Jerusalem Crickets in the past few day that we decided to post the one with the best letter and photo, and that is your query. Originally we just wrote back to you that this was a Potato Bug and didn’t provide more. This typically subterranean insect is found in the Western United States, typically in arid regions. There is much information available online and it is one of our Top 10 identification requests. Good luck with keeping it as a pet for a few days, and we hope you will release it afterward. Try feeding it root vegetables like carrots and potatoes. Despite its common name, it is not really a pest that consumes potatoes. Though they are harmless, Potato Bugs do have strong jaws and will bite if provoked. Again, other than a nip, the Potato Bug is harmless.
Suicidal Potato Bugs
October 4, 2009
I’ve recently added a pond to my backyard garden. I’ve seen the Potato Bugs before, but usually leave them alone. Lately, I’ve been finding them at the bottom of the pond. The first week, there were 2 of them, this past week, 2 more and today, 6 we’re drowned at the bottom of the pond. I wonderd if I had disturbed their pathway and they are just falling and and drowning, or if these Potato Bugs are Suicidal?
Bizzare questionaire
Santa Maria, California
Dear Bizzare questiionaire,
Potato Bugs that have been parasitized by Horsehair Worms or Gordian Worms often exhibit this suicidal behavior. When the parasitic worm is ready to leave its hosts, its next stage of life is in water, hence the Potato Bugs “desire” to drown itself.
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