Subject: about 20 of them apear dead each morning.
Location: Cuermavaca Morelos Mexico
July 3, 2017 12:05 pm
Hello , just wondering what this bug is.
Thanks for your help
Signature: Fernando

Lawn Shrimp

Dear Fernando,
These are terrestrial Amphipods commonly called Lawn Shrimp or Househoppers, and they are an invasive species introduced from Australia.  According to BugGuide:  “These are rarely seen except when flooding or lack of moisture forces them to abandon their home in the soil in search for suitable conditions. At such times they often end up dieing on pavement or in homes and become a nuisance. Once they start appearing, there’s not much that can be done except to sweep them up- pesticides are pointless, bcause by then they’re already dying or dead.  The best solution is to keep the numbers down the rest of the year by keeping the soil from staying too moist- in California, especially, they’re a sign of overwatering. Physical barriers like weather-stripping can also help to keep them out of homes, but their bodies are flat and narrow, allowing them to slip through surprisingly narrow cracks.  Non-native; introduced probably from Australia along with blue-gum eucalyptus trees in the 1800s. First recorded in San Francisco, CA in 1967.“

Daniel, thank you very much for the information , indeed they look like small shrimp!!!!
I greatly appreciate your time.
Regards.
Fernando

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Subject: Land Shrimp?!
Location: La Habra Heights, CA
March 27, 2017 10:20 am
Hi,
We just recently moved into our new place and found these bugs crawling into our living room from the patio door and molting They moved very slow and when i try to catch one, it jumped up about 12 to 18 inches straight up. I lived in Southern California and never seen an insect like this. Can you help me identify this insect, thank you.
Signature: Jonathan

Lawn Shrimp

Dear Jonathan,
Commonly called a Lawn Shrimp or House Hopper, this terrestrial Amphipod is not an insect, but a Crustacean.  Lawn Shrimp are native to Australia, but they have naturalized in Southern California because of the irrigated gardens that are so common.

Daniel,
Thank you for identifying the critter.  My son was so excited when I read the email you had sent and how amazed he was how a shrimp can live in our yard.  Thank you and we will be visiting the site to identify all the insects and non insects we find in our backyard and vegetable garden.   I found your site to be very educational and entertaining, thank you!
Best Regards,
Jonathan Kim

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