There was a cricket in my bathroom last night. A CRICKET. A big, fat, energetic one. In my SECOND FLOOR BATHROOM. When I asked Aaron how he thought it got there, he said, "Crawled. Maybe he jumped a bit..." Ha ha.
I really hate grasshoppers, which is a reasonable reaction to the locust-size hoppers that flourished on our farm. You almost had to dodge them when driving to the mailbox, and a couple of the boys on the schoolbus got a kick out of throwing at me the ones that made it through the windows. Dead OR alive. Fairly phobia inducing. So thanks a lot, Josh & Justin. I owe you a couple months in therapy.
But crickets are in first place on my insect-hating list because of their tendency to come indoors. In our old house, a split-level, they were so common that I kept the DustBuster in the basement purely for the purpose of sucking them up and depositing into the toilet. I've noticed a couple in the basement, but only after they've died. I did find one on the main floor last week, but up until last night, I thought the upstairs would be safe. No such luck.
I tried to grab it - with toilet paper, of course. But it had quite a bit of spunk, and it took me three tries before I could fling it into the toilet. And then I spent another five minutes trying to calm myself down enough so that I could go to bed.
So it appears that the war has started again, and I'll have to recharge the bug-sucker-upper. I'm just wondering if I should get a second one to keep upstairs. We'll see how many of them have the endurance to get up all those steps.
Like a waterfall in slow motion, Part One
1 year ago
Posts
6 comments:
And worst of all crickets EAT books.
This was hilarious! I love the way you write. Love Rachel
Crickets eat books?!?! I remember, when in MN, waking up at night with my flashlight in hand, hunting those darn chirpers...
Out here in PA, we have the common house centipede which always creeps me out a little, although they supposedly beneficial.
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/housece.html
Hm, cricket or centipede? (pauses to reflect)
Crickets are nasty. They are way juicier than most other bugs of that size, and way more fragile as well.
A bit more detail on cricket diet...
HOUSE CRICKETS
They live outdoors, but may come inside in great numbers. Adults are 3/4-1 inch long, light yellowish-brown with 3 dark bands on the head. They will eat almost anything, will chew on damaged silk and woolens. House crickets are nocturnal, staying hidden during the day. They have a distinctive chirping sound. They can be found in warm places like kitchens, basements, fireplaces, also in cracks and crevices and behind baseboard.
House crickets will attack paper, damage silk, woolens, fruits, and vegetables all kinds of foods, and even rubber. However, unless large numbers occur, such damage is usually minor.
Okay, yeah a cricket can be kind of a shock to find in your house, but it's not nearly as bad as a spider. :) Every year we get one lonely guy in our house - usually behind the piano. I kind of feel sorry for them. They're just looking for love.
Post a Comment