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Weird Bugs and Insects
 Moderated by: The_Mountaineer
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 Posted: Fri Apr 7th, 2006 05:29 AM
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Gunrunner
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Charley or Doc,

I've seen some strange looking insects over the years and there's two that I remember vividly. 

The first looked like a potato bug crossed with a scorpion.  It had the body of the potato bug with a definite curled stinger.   This bugs body was about 1" long and got eliminated rather quickly as it was in the garage. 

The second insect was a centipede type creature and it also had a scorpions type stinger, or tail.  I was working in a manhole and saw it crawling on the wall, and I put my gloves on to try and catch it.  As I gently touched it, it broke into a bunch of pieces and fell to the floor.  It simply crumbled apart.  One minute this bug is walking all around and the next it's vaporized.  I'll tell ya, that kind of freaked me out.  This one was about 1 1/4" long and had a transluscent white color to it.

Are there a lot of insects that get cross bred or mutated somehow.   Any weird ones you've seen and can tell us about?    



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 Posted: Fri Apr 7th, 2006 01:04 PM
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Charley
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ID thru description is tough. I tell my guys to always catch me a speciman, if possible.

There's a gajillion different insect/arthropod species, most experts will tell you only about 50 to 60% have been identified, and a genus/species attached to them.

The critter in the manhole was probably a small centidpede species. Translucent white could mean a species adapted to a cave or similar dark environment, or more likely a common species that just molted. That would help explain the fragility, the exoskeleton hadn't hardened off yet (think of a softshelled crab). The "stingers"at the back end are actualy  sensory organs called  sersi. Centipoedes don't sting, contrary to most folks belief, but the bigger species have a strong set of jaws and can bite the crap out of you!

Best guess on the other is something in the order of true bugs. Some of the assasin bug/stink bug groups have some weird looking appendages hanging of the back of the abdoman.

 

Last edited on Fri Apr 7th, 2006 01:05 PM by Charley



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 Posted: Fri Apr 7th, 2006 03:29 PM
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Gunrunner
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Thanks guys.   Charley, the 'just molted' one makes sense as you described it, but it still creeped me out.  



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