I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage...

Retired Member 1 7/4/2010, 11:45 am

... but today found this monster nibbling on the peaches. I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Affraid

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Grassh10

And I do mean monster -- he was at least 4" long, and just look at the wicked tail!

**camprn** 7/4/2010, 12:31 pm

Holy Crap! Shocked

what is that? It is an impressive creature, for sure! Nice peaches too! Very Happy

Retired Member 1 7/4/2010, 5:24 pm

camprn wrote:Holy Crap! what is that? It is an impressive creature, for sure! Nice peaches too!

That's what I wondered -- some kind of grasshopper, but I've never seen one like it. I zapped him with Neem oil, and he just kind of twirled around, stared me in the face -- as if to say, "You want to try that again, human?" I was afraid he was going to jump me, so I beat a hasty retreat. I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Icon_redface

LaFee 7/4/2010, 6:23 pm

Hey, let's have a no-rules cage match between that guy and my Frat Boy slugs! We could make it really interesting and throw in a Palmetto bug from Florida.

We could sell tickets for that one!

Retired Member 1 7/4/2010, 9:14 pm

Oh yeah! Bring 'em on! But Texas will rule. I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Icon_twisted

bonniesherbals 7/4/2010, 11:16 pm

don't know if you know it, harvest some of the peach leaves and dry them and use them for tea, they are sooo yummy. looks like a lot of leaves on that peach tree

GloriaG 7/4/2010, 11:55 pm

I'm not sure why it would be in your peach tree - but your insect really looks like a Saga pedo - "Predatory Bush Cricket". They are an European species and can get to be 5" in length. So perhaps it's a relative or similar species.
I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Moz-screenshot-2

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Moz-screenshot-2

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Moz-screenshot-3

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Moz-screenshot-4

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Moz-screenshot-5

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Moz-screenshot-6

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Predat10

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Moz-screenshot

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Moz-screenshot-1

silverbug 7/5/2010, 7:29 am

Holy MOLY!!! CREEPY, scary, big dude. Yuck. I would have run from that critter too. LOLOL Peach leaf tea sounds YUMMY.

bonniesherbals 7/5/2010, 9:54 am

another wonderful tea is to save your peach pits and when you have 5 or 6 of them put them in a quart jar, cover with boiled water, steep an hour and you have wonderful tasting peach pit tea.

Retired Member 1 7/5/2010, 1:16 pm

bonniesherbals wrote:another wonderful tea is to save your peach pits and when you have 5 or 6 of them put them in a quart jar, cover with boiled water, steep an hour and you have wonderful tasting peach pit tea.

Don't peach pits have cyanide or some kind of poison in them? Or have I been watching too many CSI reruns? I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Icon_eek

dmpower 7/5/2010, 2:07 pm

bonniesherbals wrote:another wonderful tea is to save your peach pits and when you have 5 or 6 of them put them in a quart jar, cover with boiled water, steep an hour and you have wonderful tasting peach pit tea.

Be very, very careful with this. I personally would not serve it to anyone!! I have seen what sucking on a peach pit can do to someone. It is not pretty!!

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/24320
Peach pits contain a number of chemicals
called “cyanogenetic glycosides”. These are not cyanide, but when
processed in the human digestive system, cyanide is one of the resulting
by-products.

bonniesherbals 7/5/2010, 3:11 pm

you don't split the pits, you put them in whole and i haven't seen or heard of any problems. It's the seed inside the pit that could be a problem

LaFee 7/5/2010, 3:16 pm

There's an old-fashioned recipe for peach preserves here in France that includes just the almond of a peach pit placed in each jar when it's canned...they've begun actively circulating information at the markets and things not to do that any more, because of the possibility of adverse effects. (Apparently it's a fairly potent neurotoxin if you should manage to get enough of it.)

pattipan 7/5/2010, 9:13 pm

I believe it's a Green Valley Grasshopper, a.k.a. Green Bird Grasshopper (Schistocerca shoshone).

http://bugguide.net/node/view/93526

I hope that's the only one you found -- that is one BIG grasshopper!
Patti

Megan 7/6/2010, 5:39 am

Neobarrettia spinosa? Whatever it is that you've got, it's a female. That "horn" is an ovipositor.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/127832

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... 4QB0EQV01QEKGKTK4KUKLK6KRKNK6QD0KKNK8QUKKKD05QNK5KCK9QTK9QCK7KAK8KCK9QJ0NQTKKKTK8KDKAQF0GQ

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... 4QB0EQV01QEKGKTK4KUKLK6KRKNK6QD0KKNK8QUKKKD05QNK5KCK9QTK9QCK7KAK8KCK9QJ0NQTKKKTK8KDKAQF0GQ

Retired Member 1 7/6/2010, 7:57 am

deleted

Retired Member 1 7/6/2010, 8:01 am

Megan wrote:Neobarrettia spinosa? Whatever it is that you've got, it's a female. That "horn" is an ovipositor.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/127832

Yes. That is it. From the description, it sounds like mine was a juvie as it was only 3-4" long. Interesting that I used to live in the Hill Country (where the link you provided was photographed) and I never saw one. Moved north, and here one is. Actually for a grasshopper, it was beautiful.

OK -- I just did a bit more research. This probably is of no interested to anyone, but I found the info fascinating. It is found almost exclusively in Texas and is actually a katydid. Common name is Red Devil (there's also one called White Devil). A website says it rears up in a formidable display when disturbed. Yup, mine did. Follow this link to see what I saw just before I decided to retreat.
http://lostsprings.com/photos.aspx?cat=Bugs&photo=P6238571
Nightmares of made of things like this! I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Fresse

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... Fresse

ander217 7/6/2010, 8:35 am

Sorry, Belfrybat, but I think that was a photo of me in the morning before my cup of coffee.

lisaphoto 7/6/2010, 8:41 am

I think I may have peed my pants if I saw that thing freak out on me like that!

silverbug 7/6/2010, 8:41 am

Are you kidding me? I'd say "take the peach tree my friend...I come in peace". It's all yours creature, just leave me and my family alone...wow!!! It actually did that to you???

Retired Member 1 7/6/2010, 12:12 pm

silverbug wrote:Are you kidding me? I'd say "take the peach tree my friend...I come in peace". It's all yours creature, just leave me and my family alone...wow!!! It actually did that to you???

Yup, except it extended it's front legs as if trying to grab me. Why do you think I beat a hasty retreat?

boffer 7/6/2010, 5:20 pm

I"ve been blaming the birds for peach damage... P6238571

that's not a katydid, that's a sci-fi monster!~

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Predatory Bush Cricket?

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Wrong ID

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Holy crap, BB!

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