A follow up to the bat story: Beetlephobia!!

[Systematic Chaos]

Please allow me to introduce the biggest craze in insect hysterics since Beatlemania! Yes, it's Beetlephobia, and I have it bad!

I've tried to find out just how common these things are that we get every summer here in Las Vegas to other areas, but I don't know for sure. I'm also not totally sure where they came from although some people have said Japan or China. Anyway, what I'm talking about are these huge, nasty ground beetles that come up about every June and last until late September or so. I'm NOT exaggerating at all when I tell you that these things can get to be up to 4 or 5 inches long, not including antennae, and they can even fly, although poorly. I once saw an old Cadillac run over a dead one when I was working at a gas station a few years back, and the damn thing was still mostly intact afterwards. I also saw one with its body split open and most of its guts missing fly away the other day. Eeeeek!

Here I am, almost 6'3" and very large to boot, but I am so damn scared of these aircraft disguised as insects. I'm so glad that tomorrow I'm finally moving the last of my large items out of an apartment in an old area of North Las Vegas that has a high concentration of those disgusting bugs. I'm now up by Nellis AFB, literally across Nellis Blvd. from it. Have yet to see one around here so that's good.

Does anyone here know what the hell they are exactly, and maybe where they came from? :scared:

[Rocinante]

1. I ain't

got the slightest idea unless it's them damn cicadas. Or maybe them damn old pinch bugs. I know bugs (and dammit I ain't Tom Delay) but this is a new one to me.

[ima_sinnic]

2. just about to get my PhD in entomology

so can you give a better description?

if they are truly ground beetles they are predators on other insects and therefore beneficial, and also harmless to humans. but they don't get as large as you are describing.

or they might be giant water bugs:



note the "Y"-shaped line on the back and the large powerful raptorial front legs. They have a piercing/sucking "feeding tube" under the bottom of their head rather than a mouth that can chew (which is what beetles have). Giant water bugs can get quite large, maybe 3 inches, and they are attracted to lights at night and seem to show up at gas stations a lot. Their true habitat is ponds and lakes and they feed on other insects, snails, tadpoles and even small fish. They can "bite" and should not be handled.

[Lost4words]

3. I have seen them

years ago while driving 0n interstate 95 through SC I drove over one in a gas station in a '72 cutlass. It didnt even flatten out, I felt the bump from inside the car! It was at least 3 inches long, body only. It was definetly a beetle of some kind. thankfully have seen no more that size.

[ima_sinnic]

4. technically not a beetle

if it was the giant water bug I am talking about above--but I guess that is more of an academic question.