"Interesting" vistor in compost pile

I broke into the oldest compost pile today, and look what I found:



... ...

He was actually a bit longer than shown since he is curling his tail under -- about 4" long in all. I wonder what this guy will grow up to be? A B-52 bomber, maybe?

I don't know what he will be when he grows up, but I know what he is now.....









UGLY!

martha wrote:I don't know what he will be when he grows up, but I know what he is now.....









UGLY!

And hopefully, dead!

As much as I complain about my lousy weather this year, there's no way I would trade weather with BB if it meant getting her bugs too! She's posted pictures of bugs in her garden, the likes of which I've never seen except in sci-fi movies!

belfrybat wrote:I broke into the oldest compost pile today, and look what I found:

Sorry ....I was kinda wondering where my ex-wife disappeared to ....

Boffer I am with you....

I drove through Texas once and the bugs I encountered were enough to keep me away FOR LIFE. Wouldnt live there or Missouri if you paid me. Texas has HUGE roaches that FREAKING FLY....

No thank you.

OH...and add Florida to that list. LOL....

Belfry Bat....you are a much much better human than I.

Nah, Middlemamma -- the flying critters in Florida are called Palmetto Bugs.

(Floridians call 'em that because nobody can stand the idea of a 6" flying roach.)

But, what the heck is it?!?!?!?!?!?!?

LOL LaFee...yeah they can call them whatever you want...

In California they like to call them WATER BUGS...and that never flew with me either. ROFL!

It really is a member of the cockroach family...but the monster ones are harmless...they really want to be outside rummaging through your flower beds and such, and aren't seen inside very often.

But *ooooh* they can scare the fire outta you in the dark.

I have seen huge cockroaches with wings in North Carolina.

I have no idea what that beastie is in the photo. Looks like bird food to me, though!

Megan wrote:I have no idea what that beastie is in the photo. Looks like bird food to me, though!

Yeah, BB, I would bet that my "chickies" would have a good henfight over that!

And acara, With this bronchitis I have, you made me laugh till I went into a coughing fit
( I would've said my ex-husband, but I know where he is locked up )

I had to really chuckle at all your responses. Can't imagine what you'll say when I tell you I found a total of 11 of these critters in that one compost pile and I'm not finished digging it all out yet. And yeah, at times like this I wish I still had my chickens. I killed the first two, and then thought "what the heck, they're God's creatures too", so I moved the others to a compost pile I won't get into until Spring. You should have seen them burrow down really fast.

I think they are the larva of rhinoceros beetle, as I've seen a couple of them around this year. Here's a photo to give Boffer nightmares:



The beetles around here only get about 2" long, but I understand they have cousins in other places that can get up to 4".

Edited to add that apparently some people keep the beetles as pets as they are quite docile. I think I'd rather have cat, thank you very much.

Rhino beetles are cool! Boffer, your cat is missing an ear. What's up with that? :suspect:

First of all....HOLY @$&%!!!

belfrybat wrote:

The beetles around here only get about 2" long.

ROFL..."ONLY 2 inches". Oh lord!

And lastly....I rest my case about TX and their bugs.

CA had some narley ones too....like the vinagaroo....and my DREADED nightmare about potato bugs...oh boy how I love the North West. (Middlemamma hugs herself, rocks back and forth and whispers to herself..."There's no place like the NW, no place like the NW, no place like the NW." )

I'm with you Middlemamma! The more pics I see on here of the bugs they have down south, the more I love my Zone 3b. I have almost stopped complaining about it. What is a few cutworms or aphids or cabbage moths? I don't even mind touching them anymore!!! LOL!

GK

You can just keep your NW Banana Slugs, MM! I am DONE with those!!!

camprn wrote:Rhino beetles are cool! Boffer, your cat is missing an ear. What's up with that? :suspect:

I think the rhino beetle got it!

Megan...Banana slug? Yikes....I haven't seen one of those. I am praying I live east enough of all the real wet weather that I never do! UGH....sounds gross!

Ahhhhhhh ... you jinxed me !!!!



Found this one munching in my spaghnum mulch.

He wiggled right as I snapped the picture, but he's a biggin!!!

middlemamma wrote:Megan...Banana slug? Yikes....I haven't seen one of those. I am praying I live east enough of all the real wet weather that I never do! UGH....sounds gross!

They are HUGE... 5-6" long is not uncommon. And totally, totally disgusting!!!

Middle Mamma, here is your banana slug. Pretty Gross, Huh?

acara wrote:Ahhhhhhh ... you jinxed me !!!!



Found this one munching in my spaghnum mulch.

He wiggled right as I snapped the picture, but he's a biggin!!!

So sorry...

Furbalsmom wrote:
Middle Mamma, here is your banana slug. Pretty Gross, Huh?

I'll take my grub/ rhino beetles any day over slugs, especially bright yellow ones!