Parktown Prawn
Dear Bugman
Not really a candidate for worst bug story ever, but definitely the reason I check inside my shoes before I put them on in the morning, don’t swat anything I feel tickling my face at night, don’t put my hand into dark spaces without checking first. They have a horrible black inky substance they spray when scared and jump quite high. A friend has moved house to get away from them. I’ve heard that they are mole crickets or king crickets? They look a lot like the camel crickets on your site? The Parktown prawn (since they used to be very prolific in the Johannesburg suburb Parktown) (Libanasidus vittatus) is a species of large South African cricket in the family Anostostomatidae. Adults are usually around 4 to 5 centimeters in length, with an antennae of 2 cm.(Wikipedia)
Lynn.

Hi Lynn,
Thanks for the great letter and photo. The family Anostostomatidae also contains the Wetas of New Zealand. This family is closely related to the family Stenopelmatidae which contains the Potato Bugs of Jerusalem Crickets of the Western U.S.

Scary Australian bug
Hi,
I saw your site listed as a Bonzer site on This Is True a little while back. When my wife found this terrifying bug last night, I immediately thought of you in trying to identify it. My wife went to the loo last night and saw this thing sitting on the top of the doorframe. She exited as quickly as possible and called me. After about ten minutes of spirited discussion we summoned up the courage (and tools) necessary to approach it. I took the first photo after we’d managed to knock it on to the toilet floor. After that I took it outside, emptied it from the container we’d captured it in and executed it. I took the second photo this afternoon, just so that you could see the bottom of this creature in case it helps with identification. I’ve failed to identify it from anything I could see on your website. I had a look on BugGuide, and I’m *guessing* that it fits in the subclass Apterygota. I live in Lauderdale, Tasmania, Australia. The bug is roughly 4cm from the head to the end of its abdomen, and the terrifying spike thing on the back adds almost another 2cm. I’m not sure whether I want you to tell me that it’s dangerous, and that I’m therefore justified in killing it, or that it’s harmless so I can sleep at night without worrying that more will turn up. We found a dried up husk on our front porch which obviously belonged to one of these, so we know there are more around. Anyway, I hope you like the pictures, and I hope you can tell me what it is!
Yours,
John

Hi John,
We can assure you this gal was perfectly harmless. It looks to us like a Weta, a primitive Orthopteran that is endangered in New Zealand. There are close relatives in South Africa and Australia, and the North American relatives are the Potato Bugs. In New Zealand, the Giant Wetas can grow to 8 inches. Here is the Wikipedia page with more information.

Note from bug central
Daniel,
First of all, I apologize for the first photo I send you being of carnage. Yesterday my sister, who lives in San Rafael, CA, eMailed me and mentioned she had murdered a 3 inch long termite in her garage the evening before. I am not a bug expert, but I quickly told her it wasn’t a termite, ha ha! Meanwhile I visited your website to quickly compare visually what her bug may have been with what I would picture my sister thinking would be a gigantic termite. After seeing the Potato Bug I knew right away this was her bug. After finding out that she performed this act by dropping a brick from waist high, wearing knee high rain boots while her husband protected their family dogs from this horrible monster!…I broke the news as to what kind of bug it probably was. I gave her the link to your Cricket pages and she thought I may be correct. I told her next time to make sure she gets a photo of the bug, preferrably alive. Just as I told her this, she went to the outside trash can and believe it or not found the bug right on top of everything. She snapped a photo and proved to both of us her giant termite was indeed a Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket. I promise the next photo(s) I send you will not be of carnage. I just had to send this one.
Great site, thanks.
Bald John of Tucson

Hi Bald John of Tucson,
While we feel sorry for the poor Mashed Potato Bug, we can’t help but chuckle at your colorful story. We wish there was a photo of your brick wielding sister in her boots with the cowering husband and dogs, preferably from the Potato Bugs point of view. A dramatic recreation is in order.

Potato Bug Invasion
Isn’t the Internet fantastic. Search and you shall find. I found this bug in my apartment building. I left my apartment to do my laundry and when the elevator door opened this huge bug was in front of the elevator. I ran back up stairs to have my friend come get it. It appeared as though it had died. Taking the necessary precautions, cup and envelope in hand, he scooped him up and placed him in the sun. We watched as the warmth gave him life again. It became very active thereafter. We are still puzzled how the bug gained entry into the highly secured building. LOL I believe it was around 2 1⁄2 to 2 5/8 in length.
Tracy
Playa del Rey , California

Hi Tracy,
Our best guess is that somebody leaked the security code to the crafty Potato Bug. Barring that, perhaps the critter just hitched a ride in on something that had been stored outside, even a potted plant.

Bugman!
I know these photos are not the best, but we found this guy burying into the carpet in my daughter’s room. Please advise, my wife is freaking out!
Thanks,
Chris
Santa Rosa, CA.

Hi Chris,
While Potato Bugs, also known as Jerusalem Crickets and other colorful names, are frightening looking, they are harmless. They do not infest homes, but occasionally wander in. They are subterranean dwellers. Queries for their identification are one of our most common requests, second perhaps only to the House Centipede, so we always keep a photo on the homepage which you would have found if you scrolled down.

What bug is this?
Hi Bugman,
I’m hoping maybe you can help me to identify this bug. This is the 2nd one I’ve found in my home and I was a little worried as my 1 year old ended up getting a very high fever today. Then I noticed this critter running across the floor. (And it was fast) It then occured to me that maybe he was bit by it earlier. I’m not certain, maybe just paranoid. But I have never seen anything like this before. To me, it almost looks like a crossbreed of some sort…part spider (but only has 6 legs), part scorpion, or some kind of beetle. I’m not a bug type person so forgive my ignorance. I’ve checked all over your site and haven’t found one like it. It was just under 2 inches long, and curled up some when I chased it down with some Raid. I live in Valley Center, CA. North San Diego County, where we have a lot of local pests including earwigs, scorpions, tarantulas, lizards & rattlesnakes. Please let me know if we have another we need to watch out for. Thank you.
Denise Harvey

Hi Denise,
We get so many letters requesting that the Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket be identified, that we always keep one on the homepage. It is harmless and not in any way responsible for your child’s fever.