Again with the Great Grey Hunter

[Jill McQuown]

I don't know about you, but down here in the mid-South I have these really
disgusting crickets that always appear in my outdoor storage room on the
patio every summer. They aren't regular crickets. They are pale brown and
have extra long "jumping legs" and they can truly jump about 6 feet :)

One of them got into the house this morning. When I got up to get ready for
work, Persia was in "hunting mode". She had chased/swatted/followed this
creature into my bedroom right outside of the master bathroom door. The odd
thing is the cricket "played dead" like an oppossum (or like a roly-poly
bug). It curled all up and wouldn't move even when she batted at it. So of
course she lost interest and wandered off. Even *I* thought it was dead and
was going to pick it up in some tissue and flush it down the drain. But a
moment later it had uncurled itself and was back to normal. I called,
"Persia!" She came running and squeaked at me. Sniffed around it and BOING!
It went off! And the chase was back on! I have no idea how it ended, other
than I haven't seen it again since I got home. Maybe she really killed it;
maybe it's hiding. Maybe she ate it. I'm not sure I want to know the
details :)

Jill

[m. L. Briggs]

On Fri, 29 Aug 2003 17:59:21 -0500, "Jill McQuown"
> wrote:

>I don't know about you, but down here in the mid-South I have these really
>disgusting crickets that always appear in my outdoor storage room on the
>patio every summer. They aren't regular crickets. They are pale brown and
>have extra long "jumping legs" and they can truly jump about 6 feet :)
>
>One of them got into the house this morning. When I got up to get ready for
>work, Persia was in "hunting mode". She had chased/swatted/followed this
>creature into my bedroom right outside of the master bathroom door. The odd
>thing is the cricket "played dead" like an oppossum (or like a roly-poly
>bug). It curled all up and wouldn't move even when she batted at it. So of
>course she lost interest and wandered off. Even *I* thought it was dead and
>was going to pick it up in some tissue and flush it down the drain. But a
>moment later it had uncurled itself and was back to normal. I called,
>"Persia!" She came running and squeaked at me. Sniffed around it and BOING!
>It went off! And the chase was back on! I have no idea how it ended, other
>than I haven't seen it again since I got home. Maybe she really killed it;
>maybe it's hiding. Maybe she ate it. I'm not sure I want to know the
>details :)
>
>Jill
>
Yoy"ll know when she barfs up the legs!

[JBHajos]

On Fri, 29 Aug 2003 17:59:21 -0500, "Jill McQuown"
> wrote:

>I don't know about you, but down here in the mid-South I have these really
>disgusting crickets that always appear in my outdoor storage room on the
>patio every summer. They aren't regular crickets. They are pale brown and
>have extra long "jumping legs" and they can truly jump about 6 feet :)
>
Oh, yeah, we have them here in Alabama too. We call 'em "cave
crickets" - - some folks call 'em "camel crickets." Mostly in our
laundry room, occasionally in the house. Hobo ignores them totally.
Speckles thoroughly enjoys chasing these special toys. Bet Persia
would have a blast!!!!

Jeanne

[Bob M]

Jill McQuown wrote:
>
> I don't know about you, but down here in the mid-South I have these really
> disgusting crickets that always appear in my outdoor storage room on the
> patio every summer. They aren't regular crickets. They are pale brown and
> have extra long "jumping legs" and they can truly jump about 6 feet :)
>
> One of them got into the house this morning. When I got up to get ready for
> work, Persia was in "hunting mode". She had chased/swatted/followed this
> creature into my bedroom right outside of the master bathroom door. The odd
> thing is the cricket "played dead" like an oppossum (or like a roly-poly
> bug). It curled all up and wouldn't move even when she batted at it. So of
> course she lost interest and wandered off. Even *I* thought it was dead and
> was going to pick it up in some tissue and flush it down the drain. But a
> moment later it had uncurled itself and was back to normal. I called,
> "Persia!" She came running and squeaked at me. Sniffed around it and BOING!
> It went off! And the chase was back on! I have no idea how it ended, other
> than I haven't seen it again since I got home. Maybe she really killed it;
> maybe it's hiding. Maybe she ate it. I'm not sure I want to know the
> details :)
>
> Jill

My apartment building has been infested with these crickets this year.
I'm in Texas and it's not uncommon for me to see about 10-15 of them
each night in my apt. My smallest cat, Mouse, loves to chase them
around. They usually come out about 10pm each night and right at 10pm,
there's Mouse sitting in the middle of the living room floor, looking
around in "patrol" mode. A few nights she has worn herself out and just
laid there watching them. I think they're called cave or camel crickets.
I did some research on the internet about them. Mine will jump right at
me as if they are attacking me if I walk by them.

Bob

[Hopitus2]

ROFL....I'd probably burn the house down trying to get rid of those
supersize grasshoppers.


"Jill McQuown" > wrote in message
...
: Hopitus2 wrote:
: > Never thought I would be grateful to be pestered with large flying
: > palmetto bugs but compared to those crickets they seem like household
: > pets now! I would just curl up and die.
: >
: Oh, last night Persia caught one of those palmetto bugs. She was carrying
: it around in her mouth (gross!) and was quite surprised when she set it
down
: that it ran off! She took off after it. I think she likes to eat them;
: tasty crunchy snack. Fine with me, just don't come give me kisses
: afterwards (ewwww).
:
: Those things are just gross. One time I was sitting in the bathtub when I
: glanced over and one of those huge palmettos was walking across the tile
: floor, headed straight for me. Would have made a hilarious video as I
: jumped up, leaped three feet over the bug and ran willy-nilly to the
kitchen
: for the bug spray. I then chased it around the bathroom, spraying the
crap
: out of it and chanting "die, die, die!" LOL
:
: Jill
: >
: > "Bob M" > wrote in message
: > ...
: >> Jill McQuown wrote:
: >>>
: >>> I don't know about you, but down here in the mid-South I have these
: >>> really disgusting crickets that always appear in my outdoor storage
: >>> room on the patio every summer. They aren't regular crickets.
: >>> They are pale brown and have extra long "jumping legs" and they can
: >>> truly jump about 6 feet :)
: >>>
: >>> One of them got into the house this morning. When I got up to get
: >>> ready for work, Persia was in "hunting mode". She had
: >>> chased/swatted/followed this creature into my bedroom right outside
: >>> of the master bathroom door. The odd thing is the cricket "played
: >>> dead" like an oppossum (or like a roly-poly bug). It curled all up
: >>> and wouldn't move even when she batted at it. So of course she lost
: >>> interest and wandered off. Even *I* thought it was dead and was
: >>> going to pick it up in some tissue and flush it down the drain.
: >>> But a moment later it had uncurled itself and was back to normal.
: >>> I called, "Persia!" She came running and squeaked at me. Sniffed
: >>> around it and BOING! It went off! And the chase was back on! I
: >>> have no idea how it ended, other than I haven't seen it again since
: >>> I got home. Maybe she really killed it; maybe it's hiding. Maybe
: >>> she ate it. I'm not sure I want to know the details :)
: >>>
: >>> Jill
: >>
: >> My apartment building has been infested with these crickets this
: >> year. I'm in Texas and it's not uncommon for me to see about 10-15
: >> of them
: >> each night in my apt. My smallest cat, Mouse, loves to chase them
: >> around. They usually come out about 10pm each night and right at
: >> 10pm, there's Mouse sitting in the middle of the living room floor,
: >> looking around in "patrol" mode. A few nights she has worn herself
: >> out and just laid there watching them. I think they're called cave
: >> or camel crickets. I did some research on the internet about them.
: >> Mine will jump right at me as if they are attacking me if I walk by
: >> them.
: >>
: >> Bob
:
:

[JBHajos]

On 31 Aug 2003 13:57:46 GMT, (Sherry ) wrote:

>Good GAWD. I had to read this twice. a SIX INCH grasshopper? You have six inch
>GRASSHOPPERS?? That's like, bigger than a mouse! Unbelievable. I bet you don't
>step on them.
>
Oh, yes, indeed!! They were abundant where we lived in Florida.
They were black, red, and yellow. I stepped on one once - and only
once - and I was barefoot. After that, I always walked *very
carefully* - and rarely barefoot!!

Jeanne

[LOL]

(JBHajos) wrote in message >...
> On 31 Aug 2003 13:57:46 GMT, (Sherry ) wrote:
>
> >Good GAWD. I had to read this twice. a SIX INCH grasshopper? You have six inch
> >GRASSHOPPERS?? That's like, bigger than a mouse! Unbelievable. I bet you don't
> >step on them.
> >
> Oh, yes, indeed!! They were abundant where we lived in Florida.
> They were black, red, and yellow. I stepped on one once - and only
> once - and I was barefoot. After that, I always walked *very
> carefully* - and rarely barefoot!!
>
> Jeanne


Yep, that's them. Bug spray doesn't even slow them down, and they're
heavy-bodied, with lots of goo inside - I make DH step on them. ;-)
------
Krista

PS: BAREFOOT? Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

[JHBennett]

"Bob M" > wrote in message
...
> Jill McQuown wrote:
> >
> > I don't know about you, but down here in the mid-South I have these
really
> > disgusting crickets that always appear in my outdoor storage room on the
> > patio every summer. They aren't regular crickets. They are pale brown
and
> > have extra long "jumping legs" and they can truly jump about 6 feet :)
> >
> > One of them got into the house this morning. When I got up to get ready
for
> > work, Persia was in "hunting mode". She had chased/swatted/followed
this
> > creature into my bedroom right outside of the master bathroom door. The
odd
> > thing is the cricket "played dead" like an oppossum (or like a roly-poly
> > bug). It curled all up and wouldn't move even when she batted at it.
So of
> > course she lost interest and wandered off. Even *I* thought it was dead
and
> > was going to pick it up in some tissue and flush it down the drain. But
a
> > moment later it had uncurled itself and was back to normal. I called,
> > "Persia!" She came running and squeaked at me. Sniffed around it and
BOING!
> > It went off! And the chase was back on! I have no idea how it ended,
other
> > than I haven't seen it again since I got home. Maybe she really killed
it;
> > maybe it's hiding. Maybe she ate it. I'm not sure I want to know the
> > details :)
> >
> > Jill
>
> My apartment building has been infested with these crickets this year.
> I'm in Texas and it's not uncommon for me to see about 10-15 of them
> each night in my apt. My smallest cat, Mouse, loves to chase them
> around. They usually come out about 10pm each night and right at 10pm,
> there's Mouse sitting in the middle of the living room floor, looking
> around in "patrol" mode. A few nights she has worn herself out and just
> laid there watching them. I think they're called cave or camel crickets.
> I did some research on the internet about them. Mine will jump right at
> me as if they are attacking me if I walk by them.
>
> Bob

They like to hitch a ride on your legs, Bob. One way to combat them is to
spray your yard and check for unwanted riders immediately upon entering your
place. They make excellent bait for fishing;-)
Cheers,
Jack

[Jo Firey]

"JHBennett" > wrote in message
...
> Spray them with 409 or other high detergent cleaner. Hard shell insects,
> such as krickets, roaches, etc. have a wax on their carapace that keeps them
> from dehydrating. Detergents/wetting agents raise hell with them, causing
> them to dehydrate, and die in Agony (a small town in Indiana, close to
> Effigy--where public figures are forever being hanged).
> Otherwise, I have noticed that women are forever resorting to some form
> of chemical warfare, instead of the simple expedient of crushing the darn
> things with their shoe. Must be an aversion to the squish factor ;-)
> Cheers,
> Jack


My chief aversion to the squish factor is I know exactly who is going to be cleaning
up the squishee.

Jo

[[email protected]]

Jo Firey > wrote:

> My chief aversion to the squish factor is I know exactly who is
> going to be cleaning up the squishee.

Well, no wonder most men don't have an aversion to that. :)

Personally, I hate the *crunch* factor. But I would hate making them
die in agony even more - then I'm not only grossed out, I'm also upset
that I'm causing a being to suffer. I just want to dispatch with them
quickly. I have been known to kill a bug by dropping an unabridged
dictionary on it.

Actually, I don't get many bugs in my apartment that would bother me.
Spiders crawl on the ceiling or high up on the wall, and I wouldn't
even notice them if not for Roxy and Smudge going ballistic over them.
I just leave them up there - they don't seem to have much interest in
the lower altitudes in my apartment. I think they sense what their fate
would be if they came down to cat level.

Sometimes I get the little ants that come in for the cat food. Those
guys come in by the thousands, and that bothers me, but there's no
point in killing them, either, because there are many thousands more
outside, just waiting to come in. Whenever I get infested by ants, I
just become extremely anal about cleaning, so there's nothing for the
ants to eat. They then leave my house out of boredom.

I'm glad that I don't get any of the weird and large creepy-crawlies
that people in other parts of the country and the world seem to get.
We might have 7.1 earthquakes here in San Francisco, but by god, we
don't get any really bad bugs!

Joyce

[JHBennett]

> wrote in message
...
> Jo Firey > wrote:
>
> > My chief aversion to the squish factor is I know exactly who is
> > going to be cleaning up the squishee.
>
> Well, no wonder most men don't have an aversion to that. :)
>
> Personally, I hate the *crunch* factor. But I would hate making them
> die in agony even more - then I'm not only grossed out, I'm also upset
> that I'm causing a being to suffer. I just want to dispatch with them
> quickly. I have been known to kill a bug by dropping an unabridged
> dictionary on it.

Listen, Joyce, some creatures deserve to die in agony. Leaches, for
example, ought to be sprinkled with salt. --JB
>
> Actually, I don't get many bugs in my apartment that would bother me.
> Spiders crawl on the ceiling or high up on the wall, and I wouldn't
> even notice them if not for Roxy and Smudge going ballistic over them.
> I just leave them up there - they don't seem to have much interest in
> the lower altitudes in my apartment. I think they sense what their fate
> would be if they came down to cat level

Concurr. My attitude toward spiders is: if they are finding something to
live on, they're welcome to it. --JB
>
> Sometimes I get the little ants that come in for the cat food. Those
> guys come in by the thousands, and that bothers me, but there's no
> point in killing them, either, because there are many thousands more
> outside, just waiting to come in. Whenever I get infested by ants, I
> just become extremely anal about cleaning, so there's nothing for the
> ants to eat. They then leave my house out of boredom.
>
> I'm glad that I don't get any of the weird and large creepy-crawlies
> that people in other parts of the country and the world seem to get.
> We might have 7.1 earthquakes here in San Francisco, but by god, we
> don't get any really bad bugs!
>
> Joyce

[Hopitus2]

That was one of the many, many things I loved about living in Bay area,
Joyce (San Carlos, then Sunnyvale) back in the 80's......too bad we couldn't
afford to buy housing there: and from my relatives still there, I hear
matters have gotten even worse with living expenses sky-high and so many
tech workers (my nephews included) long out of work in S. Valley, and
reduced to manual labor in Fresno area......we returned to south FL *only*
to be able to buy a house (people have returned for stranger reasons than
that).


> wrote in message
...
: Jo Firey > wrote:
:
: > My chief aversion to the squish factor is I know exactly who is
: > going to be cleaning up the squishee.
:
: Well, no wonder most men don't have an aversion to that. :)
:
: Personally, I hate the *crunch* factor. But I would hate making them
: die in agony even more - then I'm not only grossed out, I'm also upset
: that I'm causing a being to suffer. I just want to dispatch with them
: quickly. I have been known to kill a bug by dropping an unabridged
: dictionary on it.
:
: Actually, I don't get many bugs in my apartment that would bother me.
: Spiders crawl on the ceiling or high up on the wall, and I wouldn't
: even notice them if not for Roxy and Smudge going ballistic over them.
: I just leave them up there - they don't seem to have much interest in
: the lower altitudes in my apartment. I think they sense what their fate
: would be if they came down to cat level.
:
: Sometimes I get the little ants that come in for the cat food. Those
: guys come in by the thousands, and that bothers me, but there's no
: point in killing them, either, because there are many thousands more
: outside, just waiting to come in. Whenever I get infested by ants, I
: just become extremely anal about cleaning, so there's nothing for the
: ants to eat. They then leave my house out of boredom.
:
: I'm glad that I don't get any of the weird and large creepy-crawlies
: that people in other parts of the country and the world seem to get.
: We might have 7.1 earthquakes here in San Francisco, but by god, we
: don't get any really bad bugs!
:
: Joyce

[Pat]

In my house there are many extremely tiny ants - smaller than a flea, and
they bite - that are carnivorous. All I have to do is set an overturn a cup
on any large bug on the carpet, and within hours, its body will have been
totally consumed by the little bitty ants.

> wrote in message
...
> Jo Firey > wrote:
>
> > My chief aversion to the squish factor is I know exactly who is
> > going to be cleaning up the squishee.
>
> Well, no wonder most men don't have an aversion to that. :)
>
> Personally, I hate the *crunch* factor. But I would hate making them
> die in agony even more - then I'm not only grossed out, I'm also upset
> that I'm causing a being to suffer. I just want to dispatch with them
> quickly. I have been known to kill a bug by dropping an unabridged
> dictionary on it.
>
> Actually, I don't get many bugs in my apartment that would bother me.
> Spiders crawl on the ceiling or high up on the wall, and I wouldn't
> even notice them if not for Roxy and Smudge going ballistic over them.
> I just leave them up there - they don't seem to have much interest in
> the lower altitudes in my apartment. I think they sense what their fate
> would be if they came down to cat level.
>
> Sometimes I get the little ants that come in for the cat food. Those
> guys come in by the thousands, and that bothers me, but there's no
> point in killing them, either, because there are many thousands more
> outside, just waiting to come in. Whenever I get infested by ants, I
> just become extremely anal about cleaning, so there's nothing for the
> ants to eat. They then leave my house out of boredom.
>
> I'm glad that I don't get any of the weird and large creepy-crawlies
> that people in other parts of the country and the world seem to get.
> We might have 7.1 earthquakes here in San Francisco, but by god, we
> don't get any really bad bugs!
>
> Joyce

[Pat]

I'm in southern Missouri.

"SUQKRT" > wrote in message
...
>
> In article >, "Pat" >
> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >In my house there are many extremely tiny ants - smaller than a flea, and
they
> bite - that are carnivorous. All I have to do is set an overturn a cup on
any
> large bug on the carpet, and within hours, its body will have been totally
> consumed by the little bitty ants.
>
> Where do you live? I have those to in Mass.
> Suz
> Iron Chef Macmoosette
> Thank Heavens There's Only One
> =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^=
>
> Chocolate heals all wounds.