Bug

[MrB]

From work today. Someone says it is called a potato bug. How about one of you insect experts? Its body is about 2 inches long.

[Mr. Pickles]

Not sure if it is a potato bug or not, but if I took the picture, about 1.1 seconds after letting the shutter button go it would be called a Dead Bug....

[transcape5]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

Not sure if it is a potato bug or not, but if I took the picture, about 1.1 seconds after letting the shutter button go it would be called a Dead Bug....

Oh no, Mr. Pickles! Please don't squish bugs here on the Macro/Close-up forum. Or if you do, please don't tell us bug lovers and we can pretend that it went on it's happy existence. I mean, look at that big baby! So innocent, so helpless!

But yes, that is a potato bug. He looks out of his element on that surface there, MrB! Nice shot of a nice find. I think so anyway!

[LordV]

Good capture- yes I think you call them potato bugs (they don't eat potatoes though), also called a Jerusalem cricket I think. We have a similar bug in the UK called a mole cricket

Brian V.

[AfricanButterflies]

Ha Ha!!! This is the beastie we know and love in South Africa as the Parktown Prawn. I love insects but have to admit this is a siff species, its favourite trick is to regurgitate its lunch on disturbance! My wife runs a mile when she sees one and believe me she is used to ugly goggas being married to a bug lover.

Jerusalem Cricket is another name for it, but what we call a Mole Cricket here is a much smaller, less forbidding insect. Brian I'm amazed that Parkies have made it to the UK. Global warming must be real after all!

[UBSeng]

Whatever he is, I like him

[ebears]

wow- what detail - I wouldnt call him a "handsome fella" though.

[Athena]

He's amazingly cool! I don't think I've ever seen one of these in real life, but I've seen some amazing photos of them.

[MrB]

Thanks all for the comments. I shot this with my new 50mm 1.8. It is pretty remarkable for the money. I think the bug looks like a prehistoric monster. I'm glad I got him before he had lunch and avoided the regurgitation mentioned by African Butterflies.

[loeee]

I remember an episode of "The Outer Limits" when I was a little kid that had aliens that looked just like potato bugs, but about two feet tall! I was traumatized for years. LOL It does look like something that just walked off a flying saucer though, doesn't it?

[Colby]

MrB,
What a great capture of a truly ugly bug. Good job.
Cheers,
Colby

[Lyle A]

Yep that is a Jerusalem Cricket. Abundant in California. They burrow and knaw on stuff in the ground. that's a good capture. I had one over 3 inches long but never got a picture of it.

[MrB]

Thank you all!

[Thunder9]

Really good shot with a 50mm. But couldn't you pick something else, sorry I don't like bugs much. We have Palmetto bugs here (so called as they are really humungous roaches and we don't want to frighten the tourists) and they can be up to 3 inches. freaky when I working in my shop and look up to see one of those suckers looking at you. Again great shot, almost looks polished.