Large Cricket?
I looked at your pictures of mole crickets and they all appeared to have wings. We occasionally find these large insects in the soil of our garden. This one is typical size – about 1.5 inches long. No wings. It’s pretty fast running on the top of the ground and definitely seeks cramped dark places. The eyes seem mostly undeveloped. Two short appendages are on the rear of the abdomen.
The SeCoy Family
Hi Family,
We haven’t gotten a picture of a Potato Bug, also known as a Jerusalem Cricket, in a long time. We have a whole page devoted to them.
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Posted 08 August 2005
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Ok, What is it..
I’m thinking it’s some type of mole cricket, but it is considerably larger than I’ve ever seen… I’m estimating 2.5 inches long
just curious
Robert
Hi Robert,
You have a Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket which is related to Mole Crickets.
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Posted 16 November 2004
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WTB what can you tell us about this bug.
Hi WTB,
We live in Long Beach California and it’s the second time that we have encounter this huge bug in exactly the same place in front of house. The first one just died on it’s on and the second one just seems to turn from being on its front to back.
Can you please tell us what it is.
Thank you for your help.
Eyal & Hadas
Dear Eyal and Hadas,
You have a Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket. They live underground and are sometimes driven to the surface after a heavy rain.
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Posted 13 November 2004
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What is this?
I am trying to figure out what kind bug this is. Its about 2 inches long. The picture I sent you earlier. It closely resembles the Potato Ant as I was matching up pictures on your site. This thing frightened me because of its sheer size and pretty big choppers that looks like it could do some damage. It was in my garage and I spent 30 minutes trying to capture it since I didn’t want this thing in there and had no idea if it was a threat. After putting a tape measure to it, it was nearly 2 inches long from head to backside. I took the picture after capturing it and I am probably going to release it in the bushes away from my house. Another thing, at one point I saw it back side lifted and vibrate rapidly like a rattle snake. It was great and scary at the same time since I had no idea what it was doing or going to do. What a great site you have!
Thanks, Joe from Buellton, California
Hi Joe,
One common name for your insect is a Potato Bug, also known as a Jerusalem Cricket. They live underground. The scientific genus is Stenopelmatus. They are not poisonous but have strong jaws that can pinch.
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Posted 08 September 2004
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beetle??? NO
This was taken in New Mexico just North of ABQ & has a hard shell that makes a "clicking" sound when it flips over on the concrete. This is in my driveway not too terribly far from the desert, but still in a new construction subdivision setting, all streets are paved & is not just raw land. Is it dangerous?
Thanks for a great informative site & for reassurance for those of us that don’t "know".
Lisa in the Sunny Southwest
Mike & Lisa Boushey
Hi Lisa and Mike,
You have sent in a photo of a Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket.
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Posted 02 July 2004
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what is this?
a picture I took recently of a bug.
What is it?
heidi
Hi Heidi,
It is a Jerusalem Cricket, Potato Bug or Nino de la Tierra, depending on who you are talking to. They are members of the cricket order Othoptera and live underground.
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Posted 30 June 2004
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Ok, these things are disgusting. I have found two of these horrible creatures in my yard, all in a two seek span. Where are they coming from and how can I get rid of them? I feel guilty killing anything, but these things are too much to bare sight of. What can I do so they won’t return? Also, after reading some info. on your site, it was mentioned they are not poisonous. But, what would one do if biten by one of these things?
Terrified in San Fernando Valley
Dear Terrified,
I can’t think of anything you could do to get rid of your potato bugs as they are burrowing insects and you would need to make your entire yard toxic to poison them, which whould probably have more dire consequences to you and your family than to the potato bugs. They are not poisonous, as you point out, and if bitten you will probably cry out since the jaws are powerful and the bite painful, though it is doubtful the bite would draw blood.
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Posted 18 December 2003
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I have NO idea how it got into my kitchen but there it was this morning and my skin is still crawling thinking of it. It’s under a glass bowl right now. I don’t know how to get rid of it. My last encounter with one in the garden several years ago was horrible and I couldn’t kill it! My nightmare now is wondering how the hell this huge thing got into the house when there are no visible holes or gaps under doors…it’s as big as a small mouse – and we blocked the mouse access holes over a year ago, I thought!
Eeeooow…
Freaked of Laurel Canyon
Dear Freaked,
Potato Bugs are digging insects that might have gotten access through burrowing. They are also nocturnal and might enter the home through an opened door at night when you don’t notice them skulking about. They are harmless, but do have powerful jaws that can inflict a painful bite. They seem to have universal horror appeal.
Thank you! I steeled myself and got it outside last night! Way away from the house! They look like something under a magnoscope which has escaped and is giant!
JP
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Posted 10 December 2003
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hi, wondering if you can help … i live in the hollywood hills, of los angeles. i saw a bug in my house yesterday that looked like a double A duracell battery with what seemed like claws. it was probably 3 inches in length and a half inch in width excluding it’s appendages. i am not a bug person and thought about stepping on it – but it was so big, i didn’t want to make the mess. instead, i flicked it across the room with some cardboard. it landed on its back and seemed to have a hard time turning over, right side up. while on it’s back, i was able to open the door and fling it outside. it was creepy as can be. i’m wondering if you know the type of bug it may have been? any pictures of it? it was gross to me … any help would be great,
thanks
brad in los angeles
Hi Brad,
Possibly a Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket.
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Posted 06 November 2003
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I recently found a large bug under a rock at my house in South Jordan, UT. I can’t seem to find anyone that knows what type of bug is. I hope you can help me. Its characteristics are: light brown/tan in color, 2 segments of body with black stripes across the bottom half of the body (on top, like a bumblebee), legs that look like a grasshopper’s, only not as large in proportion to the body, head looks like that of an ant, and its overall length is about 1 1/2 inches long. I put him in a jar with dirt and mulch, and he burrows under the dirt most of the time, and remains hidden, although at first he was quite aggressive in trying to climb out of the jar. He has lived for one week in the jar with no additional food or water. He has no wings, and an overall smooth body appearance. Some have said he might be a Mormon cricket, but after having looked at several images of the Mormon Cricket, I do not think he is one. He is quite adept at digging with his front legs. He has six legs, and does not jump at all. If you could help me determine what this is, I would really appreciate it. Thanks so much.
Sincerely,
Lori
Dear Lori,
Sounds like a Jerusalem Cricket or Potato Bug. Try doing a websearch. The scientific Family name is Stenopelmatus. Mormon crickets have a different shape than you describe.
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Posted 18 July 2003
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What is it? I found this, trying to sneak into my apartment this morning – and have no idea what it is!! Is it a good bug, or a bad one? Does it bite? What does it eat? I don’t know anything about it – other than it is about 2.5” long, and is nothing I want running around inside my apartment!
Thanks!
Rob
Dear Rob,
It is a Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket. They are omniverous, eating roots and tubers and occasionally dead animals. They can bite painfully, but are not poisonous.
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Posted 06 June 2003
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Looking through almost 20 years of memory distortion, my wife and I were confronted by the strangest looking bug we had ever seen. We were living in Glendale and this "tinker toy" bug had somehow gotten into the house, seemed to be nesting in the pile of our rug near the patio sliding glass doors. It was about 2 inches long, and looked like it had been assembled out of brown plastic parts, big round shiny head with two smaller black dot eyes, antennae, a shiny cylindrical body and six legs. We even captured it into a jar where it clicked away at the sides trying to escape. Eventually it was released but we never have seen it pictured in any reference books. The name, Vinegaroon, was mentioned but it hasn’t really satisfied. Any ideas?
Richard Leppig
We’ve lost our original reply to Richard which included a photo, but we correctly identified his visitor as a Potato Bug.
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Posted 15 May 2003
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