Mystery bug

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Mystery bug

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29 May 2008, 04:37

BobS

Mystery bug

Got back from Namibia last week. Just before I arrived there was an outbreak of some kind of bug. No one knew the english name and I thought someone here would know what it is. They were everywhere by the thousands. All over the grass and in the drying up pans. Any one have a clue??

29 May 2008, 04:43

Macifej

Port reduction sauce or chocolate covered??

29 May 2008, 04:54

Tex21

Its some kind of big grasshopper or locust. Looks like the type of thing that swarms in biblical droves and eats up all the grass, crops, and trees in their path.

Also looks like good catfish bait.

Jason

"Chance favors the prepared mind."

29 May 2008, 06:23

L. David Keith

Bingo Tex21. After the vegetarian Locusts devour every green thing, the flesh eating Locusts will emerge, then the Saber-Tooth 'Hoppers. There will be hell to pay. Spray them with Raid and they molt into 160 pound hybreds. troll

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29 May 2008, 06:27

Tim Carney

Afrikaans speakers will have to help. This is called a cornkriek (phonetic) and appears at regular intervals after good rains in Namibia. You can buy metal sculpture ones at some tourist places in Windhoek. They will eat everything...

Regards

29 May 2008, 06:30

ALF

29 May 2008, 06:34

L. David Keith

Afrikaan's: Koringkriek
English: Kornholio
Main ingredient in Colon Blow cereal

29 May 2008, 07:09

Wendell Reich

quote:
Originally posted by L. David Keith:
English: Kornholio

29 May 2008, 11:14

Ganyana

In english it is a corn Cricket- common enough in zim as well. Family tetygonidae for the biologists out there.

Always interesting to put green and brown phases in a box and see who eats who.

29 May 2008, 11:54

ALF

As kids we used to collect these "Koringkrieke", build forts and earthworks and use them as "infantrymen" to be sniped at at from a distance with a pellet gun and later a 22 long rifle.

Not being spectacular enough we made home made bombs using home made black powder, blowing up the forts with the "infantrymen" in them, untill the cops got wind of our activities, actually we blew up part of a neigbours porch using our home made powder.

29 May 2008, 12:05

Rikkie

Alf,

Is that not an armoured ground cricket?

29 May 2008, 12:36

Shangaan

In the South East Lowveld of Zim we get two different crickets like that. The one pictured looks like the armoured cricket and your discription would put it as such. We also get a mole cricket which is a bit bigger then the armoured cricket and comes out of holes in the ground and makes a noise which is deafening. You will probably find that the common name will be different in other areas and all the names above are probably correct for its location but most insect books use the armoured cricket name.

29 May 2008, 18:07

butchloc

how much is the trophy fee?? seems like alf had the right idea, use of explosives on armour is common

29 May 2008, 18:39

Blair338/378

quote:
Originally posted by ALF:

As kids we used to collect these "Koringkrieke", build forts and earthworks and use them as "infantrymen" to be sniped at at from a distance with a pellet gun and later a 22 long rifle.

Not being spectacular enough we made home made bombs using home made black powder, blowing up the forts with the "infantrymen" in them, untill the cops got wind of our activities, actually we blew up part of a neigbours porch using our home made powder.

Hmm, remember doing something similar in OZ

Verbera!, Iugula!, Iugula!!!

Blair.

29 May 2008, 18:44

ALF

30 May 2008, 01:00

Nzou

I am not sure of the species or common name, but should do, left all my insect books in Africa unfortunately and Skaife should have come up in the freight, but went missing! I think armoured ground cricket might be right. I think the true corn crickets dig holes, and do not have the spiky armour like these do. Corn crickets I think are closer to true Gryllids or crickets, similar to the king cricket or Parktown prawn (Anostomatodae) whereas these I think are in the Katydid or Tetigonid family, or one very close to this family. Many of the 'crickets' in this family are quite savage little predators and eat other soft-bodied insects! I think that many people call them corn crickets, but that is quite a loose term I think for any large cricket in many different areas. I think this species might be partly vegetarian though, they do appear in great numbers sometimes with the rains.

30 May 2008, 01:14

Nzou

Shangaan, mole crickets really do make the ears ring sometimes! They usually sing just after a good rain, and you can see a little rift in the earth where they have been 'ploughing'. You can usually locate where the insect is by carefully stalking the insect barefoot, which I used to do as a kid. If you get the chance some time, try catch one and see how powerful their spade-like front legs are. If you are too clumsy approaching, they stop singing. Anyway, with patience you can locate the exact location more or less, and use a torch and trowel to dig them out. They are funny looking creatures, almost like a lobster, but try holding one in your hand if you can. I don't think any grown man would be able to contain one in his hand. Their power at moving your fingers apart is absolutely phenomenal!