permit ’s just get one affair out of the way here : While not poisonous , a bite from a white potato microbe can certainly rattle you ! Potato bugs have strong jaws that can sink into the skin and cause a moderate amount of pain if they prick you .
Luckily , it is n’t common to get bitten by potato bugs and they do n’t interpose venom . While pesky , these bugs are course timid and will scuttle out from human beings . The only time they might bite is when they ’re at bay or provoked , whether by choice or not .
If you ’ve come across this strange hemipteran , do n’t be alarmed and definitely do n’t attempt to smush it . There ’s so much misinformation online surrounding the potato glitch , and that ’s because it ’s often mistaken for the Colorado potato mallet , an all unlike insect completely .
So , want the real lowdown on this strange - take care bug that ’s more accurately acknowledge as a Jerusalem cricket ?
Keep learn to study where they come in from , how to negociate them in your plate and garden , and what to do if you ’ve been bite by a Solanum tuberosum microbe .
What are potato bugs?
Here ’s where most people ( and unskilled blogs ) get mixed up . The name “ Solanum tuberosum bug ” concern to two different insects : Jerusalem crickets ( Stenopelmatus fuscus ) and Colorado potato beetles ( Leptinotarsa decemlineata ) .
Today , I ’m talking about the big wingless louse with alien - like features that ’s often called a potato bug , because it can sometimes be establish in potato force field , feed on the beginning and tubers of spud crops .
Jerusalem cricket are subterranean nocturnal insects that look like a cross of a large ant and fatwasp . They have disproportionately large , humanoid heading and potent , sizable mandibles and can grow up to 3 inch in length , adding to the shock agent . ( Need a head of reference for scale?Check outthis Jerusalem cricket perched on a human hand ! )
Their head , thoraxes , and legs are typically shiny and yellow- or amber - colored , and their abdomens alternate with smutty and brown banding .
Because of their eerie appearance ( and the foul smell they emit when they sense threatened ) , Jerusalem cricket are also have it away as skunk bug , skull bugs , mother of Scorpio , or “ what the f@ & # is that ? ! ”
On the more pleasant side , they ’re also referred to as earth babe or child of the earth ( niña de la tierrain Spanish ) since they pass most of their prison term in the ground . I ’ve even heard them called minor ’s face ( or its Spanish equivalent , cara de niño ) , but let ’s hope no small fry actually has that crazy - look face .
Jerusalem crickets get around on six spiny legs that assist them comprehend into the land . They ca n’t pilot and despite having “ cricket ” in their name , they ca n’t derail ( or chirp ) either .
The insects are slow to grow , requiring two to five year to attain maturity , and populate in the grownup stage for only two to six months ( depending on geographic latitude ) . It ’s believed that more than 100 species of Jerusalem crickets live , but only about a third of them have been formally described in scientific lit .
Where did the name Jerusalem cricket come from?
The Jerusalem part is still a mystery , but one possibility is that the louse ’ bodies resemble a Jerusalem cross . Or , the namecould be derivedfrom yelps of “ Jerusalem ! ” by startled citizenry in the 19th C when they come across these unique glitch . ( Supposedly , that was a common curse word for the fourth dimension . )
There ’s also a possibility for the cricket name . harmonise to thissource , early bug-hunter thought this strange new insect resembled the king crickets of Australia and the jumbo wetas of New Zealand , so the “ cricket ” name flummox .
Despite all this , Stenopelmatus fuscus is neither a rightful cricket nor a honest bug . Go figure .
Where can you find Jerusalem crickets?
Jerusalem crickets live in the western and southwestern United States and along the Pacific coast , ranging from British Columbia in the north to Mexico in the south . When they emerge from the ground ( usually after rainfall ) , they ’re often seen crawling around compost piles and other grim , dampish areas , or enshroud under rock , logs , barque , and leaves . They prefer sandy grunge that are well-fixed to burrow in .
If you ’re working in the garden , it ’s common to find Jerusalem crickets as you ’re clearing away pace debris or domesticate the soil . On rare occasions , you might even find them inside the house if there ’s some moisture to appeal them .
What do Jerusalem crickets eat?
While Jerusalem crickets have occasionally damaged commercial potato field , they are not regard serious pests like the Colorado potato beetle ( you sleep with , theotherpotato bug that gives this one a bad name ) .
In fact , Jerusalem cricket should be thought of as good insects , as they tip on decaying plant matter , dead origin , and modest insects ( including those that youdoconsider garden pestis ) . By breaking down constitutive issue and burrowing underground , Jerusalem cricket actually help with industrial plant growth and dirt aeration .
Now , in heavy telephone number Jerusalem cricketscanbe a nuisance , especially if your thousand is completely devoid of organic waste for them to feed on . This means they might turn to the ancestor of your cultivated carrot , potato , and other root crops , stunting their increment .
How to get rid of Jerusalem crickets
As I mentioned above , Jerusalem crickets are great decomposers and considered a friend in the garden . But if their presence gross out you out too much , the best way to get rid of Jerusalem crickets is to make your yard less hospitable to them .
That means tidying up place where they like to shelter : baseball bat , woodwind instrument piles , rock mounds , and compost heaps . all the way away anything that holds supererogatory moisture , particularly if it ’s near your house , and limit watering to garden beds ( so if you run sprinkler , check that the sprinkler heads are n’t aiming at thing that are n’t plant ) .
Fluff upmulch pilesand do n’t let them get too pie-eyed . When exposed from their concealing smirch , Jerusalem crickets make for right eatin ’ for cricket bat , rodents , skunks , bird of night , and small hawk , which can assist you take maintenance of an infestation .
If you find a Jerusalem cricket inside your home , physically remove and dispose of it ( if you must ) or relocate it to your garden , where it can be of good use . It ’s easily caught with sticky control board traps locate along walls , or captured by placing a glass over the insect , slipping a piece of theme under it , then turning the Methedrine over .
verify you keep an eye on any dour , damp areas , like deadening leak in your bathymetry or contraction on walls and windows . If you live on in a humid mood , it might be helpful to run a dehumidifier in your kitchen and lav to shrink the chance of Jerusalem cricket clear themselves at place in those station .
eternal sleep assured , however , that indoor invasions are rarefied and do not necessitate any character of chemical substance treatment . In all honesty , you ’re more potential to encounter Jerusalem crickets while working in your cubic yard .
What happens if a Jerusalem cricket bites you?
The first thing to remember is that Jerusalem crickets are not aggressive , despite their sinister appearance . They don’twantto seize with teeth you , but will do so in self - defense .
So if a Jerusalem cricket feels peril or startled , verify you give it some blank ! It ’ll make itself look bigger and more menacing by lift its hind leg over its soundbox or somersaulting on its back , throwing a hissing sound at you , then open its mandibular bone wide to take a chomp .
If a Jerusalem cricket bites you , the first matter you ’ll notice is a temperate to sharp cutting sense datum that will usually last a few minutes .
Because there ’s no poisonous substance or venom in the sharpness , there should n’t be any significant jut . However , some Jerusalem cricket bites may cause sore on your skin or an fretful blizzard . These are commonly not serious conditions and tend to go off on their own or with standard topical discourse .
How to treat a bite from a Jerusalem cricket
To foreclose the collation mark from becoming infected , be indisputable to strip the affected surface area with soap and water . apply a hydrocortisone ointment or an anti - itch gel ( like Bendaryl or Tecnu Calagel ) , if needed , to relieve redness or itchiness . Most pain is short - lived and a Jerusalem cricket bite wo n’t do any lasting impairment .
View the Web Story onJerusalem cricket .
