It seems like every week there’s a new and bigger insect or critter that shows up around here. Wait til you see the giant rainbow colored lizard that showed up this week.
The grasshoppers aren’t new but every day they seem to get bigger. Here’s one that was on our porch last night. He’s sitting next to a quarter.
The spit some kind of foamy substance but worse . . they bite . . or that’s what Vince tells me. I will hardly catch them, even though the chickens love them.
But, here’s where I’m glad we live out in the country with no close neighbors. Last night I was out with Speck and I felt a grasshopper land on my shoulder. I tried to brush him off but somehow, he went right down my shirt. Yes, you know what happened. Off went the shirt and I was dancing and screaming and swatting. I’m sure it would have been a sad and scary sight for any one to witness. Thank goodness no one saw.
Day before yesterday I killed a snake and last night, the grasshopper down the shirt. It’s a good thing I love Texas!
Roberta says
Just remember not all snakes are bad, you really have to learn the difference. Small snakes might eat grasshoppers. But I hear you on shedding the shirt. Even though we are out in the country there are still sight neighbors so it would be a quick run to the house or barn for me.
Hugs!!!!!!
Ranch Wife says
NOW who’s stripping at the end of the dirt road?! LOL.
Denise :) says
Hahaha! Do you have a blog post on that?! 😉
Missy says
Yes, I agree that the insects are definitely bigger in TX! We were looking at some property in MO last week and I looked down and there ticks crawling up my skirt! I became unglued and started freaking making my husband brush them off. All day I was lifting my skirt and shirt making my husband look for ticks. I have 7 bites! I had used some all-natural bug repellent, next time I will use deep woods off!
happy quilter says
Ok, I was use to cockroaches, but when we lived in College Station, TX. they were four inches long. I have NEVER seen anything like it. I gather this is the kind that live in trees, but they came into our apt. on a regular basis. If you don’t think that scares you to death as you pull out your underwear for the day. YUCK, awful. And they gathered in droves by our front door at night so coming home was an adventure. And we had tarantulas that were pretty big too–and they jump. After a while you just learn to live with whatever Texas has to offer.
Shirley Albertson Owens (sao) says
You are so brave! I am not fond of jumping BUGS (aka grasshoppers) or flying ones EITHER (aka butterflies and moths!) I may be one of the few people on earth who can barely tolerate butterflies – I have to give myself self-therapy sessions. I feel about butterflies the same way that some people feel about snakes and spiders!
AND….LIKE I SAID – YOU ARE BRAVE! YOU ARE A GOOD TEXAN!
Laurel from Iowa says
Shirley – my son’s girlfriend is also afraid of butterflies and moths. Don’t feel you are alone 😀
Erin says
Omg I am actually laughing but I know I would have done the same thing! As far as killing as snake NO I have no guts! I would have peed my pants! And threw up! Snakes are my worst fear!
Toni in TN says
Ok, Miss Judy, tell us about the snake!! Esp. what kind was it and did you take pictures?
Ann says
that looks like a katydid we have them in South Dakota too and they are harmless and such a pretty green. I’m not fond of snakes either but they are all harmless here so I just make a wide path so they can eat the other wee beasties.
Ann
Ida in Central PA says
I don’t care WHERE I am, if something goes down my shirt, the shirt is coming off. It’s rare that I’m braless, and if people can’t stand seeing my bra while I’m in obvious distress … then that’s their TOUGH LUCK! My bra covers more than most beach-goers don. (That said, I have more to cover than most beach-goers. 😉 )
Linda in NE says
If word gets out that there’s a stripper running around near Brownwood, TX we’ll know who it is, won’t we? A video would have been worth a thousand words. I keep looking at the picture of that bug, and yes, it’s big, but it just doesn’t look like a grasshopper—unless TX has it’s own variety of grasshopper. Nope, looked again and enlarged it…that’s not what I know as a grasshopper.
Judy Laquidara says
Google “Texas grasshopper” and you’ll see pictures.
Diane says
I am so glad you love Texas. Most people I know even my family who still live there don’t unterstand my love for Texas. I wish I still lived there. Our hope is to at least to retire there.
The bugs, well I understand the whole rip the shirt off thing. I would have (and have in the past) done the same thing, neighbor or not!
Jevne says
Gosh, Judy, sounds to me like you need more chickens to take care of those grasshoppers. Eggs from free range hens have less cholesterol, less fat, and more of the good stuff and they taste so much better! Just pen them up at night.
I live in northern Indiana and grew up in Illinois and I’ve never seen a grasshopper like that either. Ours aren’t shiny and they don’t have such looooong ‘antennas’ and they spit brown stuff. As kids we called it tobacco.
Jevne says
P.S. Reading your blog is so much fun!
Denise :) says
It looks like a green version of our cave crickets, which also freak me out and I despise. LOL! And I’d definitely have a come-apart if ever one landed down my shirt. *shudder* 🙂
Donna K. from N. TX says
God, I hate hairy grasshopper feet! I’m not scared of them particularly. Just can’t stand the way they touch me. Oooooooooo!
Lee says
I’m learning a lot about Texas. Every time you mention some critter or show a picture I have to search for info on it! That’s just my make-up 😉 I don’t think I’ve ever seen a grasshopper like this, very interesting, and creepy…or hoppy as the case may be. This image looks to be the same with the exception of the brownish band on the back of it’s “neck”, so maybe: http://insects.tamu.edu/images/insects/common/images/a-txt/aimg15.html
Ugh, my arms get goosebumps just at the thought of having one of those go down my shirt…and I use to catch grasshoppers and have no fear of them. {{{shudder}}}
Clare says
I’m a Chicagoan living in Tucson, Az area and just had scorpions in the bathrooms the last 2 days. YUCKKKKKK!!!! Do you have scorpions in Tx? If you dont – I want to MOVE!!
vickie van dyken says
Tx has bugs but NOT compared to Fl !!! They have what truckers call the “bug station” that you have to go thru (Cali has them to) and I asked one of the officers there once…he told me they have bugs there that haven’t been named yet …ROFLOL 🙂 I believe him! I don’t think he meant ted, john, alice or sally either..hahahahaha. Scoprpions, tarantula’s and snakes are yukkie. I really don’t like the ticks the worse because they are so small that sometimes you don’t see them til they are full of your blood..Phwet, Ughhh … We dont have poisionous snakes or scorpions or black widows, or tarantulas here in NW Washington 🙂 Even though we have lots of rain, that is a good reason to live here !!
Billie in TX says
I’m laughing. We have one of those grasshoppers on our porch right now, but he looks a little sick. I didn’t know they bit…yuck.
Diane in CA says
Everytime I think it would be nice to live in the country with all that space and barns and garages and hummingbirds, you come up with some new disgusting creature to make me darn happy I live in a cement paved city with more people than bugs… You are a brave woman! (I’d let those bug eating chickens out!!)
Laura says
I’m with you, Diane – I also live in CA – and I’m staying put!
Laura says
I’m with you, Diane! I also live in CA – and I’m staying right here!
Melinda says
If it makes you feel any better……….I came out of my blue jeans because of ants up my pants when I lived in central Texas. Didn’t care who saw at the time. Hey, those red ants can really bite!
Deb says
Oh yuck. I am staying out of Texas. Sorry ladies. Don’t think I could mentally deal with THAT phobia of mine there…I was trying to look up a bug for a friend who took a picture, and I was getting the creepy crawlys just LOOKING AT THE PICTURES…I would have to have A LOT more chickens- ALL free range!
Diane S. says
Oh, the image of you tearing your shirt off and dancing and screaming makes me giggle! Thanks for the virtual picture! LOL!!!!
Karla says
If I ever had one of those things land on me I would go ballistic trying to get it off. Don’t like the bugs and the snakes but I deal with them as I am able. I believe I would do the strip if I thought it was under my clothes. shivver….. just the thought ugh!
Amy (NW WI) says
One word Judy….
LOL!
Linda Steller says
That is too funny, Judy! When it happens to me here, I have to quick run at least into the garage before I can rip my shirt off and get the offending critter out of there. I just got home from four days out in the wilderness with my quilting buddies, and I was wishing we’d win the lottery again, because I do so want to live out there.