Inspiration for today’s post is courtesy of the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge. This week’s theme is Today. I had scheduled another post, but could not resist posting the photograph of this handsome bug!
While watering my vegetable garden today I was suddenly attacked by this enormous bug. Yes, it was GINORMOUS! Deep in thought and in auto-pilot you can imagine my horror as “It” literally jumped, and then flew straight at me landing on my chest – the term a “flying jump” took on a whole new meaning! It then launched itself at me not once, not twice but several times in succession. I jumped at least six-foot in the air in sheer terror, screaming hysterically while frantically waving my arms like a windmill in a hurricane as I tried desperately to shoo it away, but to no avail.
Not satisfied in scaring me half to death it then proceeded to chase me round the garden. I’m still screaming hysterically and frantically waving my arms. Thank goodness the neighbours were out and I did not have to explain my strange behaviour!
I ran back to retrieve the hose and swiftly turned the nozzle on to jet wash. YAY! Revenge. Me gasping for breath, and “it” soaking wet, we eyed each other suspiciously and called a truce.
Mr. Piglet had warned me a territorial giant bug about 4-5 inches long had taken up residence in my vegetable area, while I was in the UK, but I thought he was joking!
“IT” has obviously made itself at home in Piglet’s Plot so like the other critters in my garden I should give “IT” a name. However, I don’t even know what type of bug it is…maybe a cricket?
I came indoors soaking wet and out of breath. Mr Piglet enquired “Was that YOU screaming?”
Any ideas what type of bug it is and what I should call “it”?
Update: zebradaestepe
has just advised me the Portuguese name for grasshopper is gafanhoto. Thank you!
Related insect posts:
The Ugly Bug Spring Jive
What is this?
Killer Caterpillars!
The Red Palm Weevil – is it out of control?
Piglet in Portugal 
I get busy for a month and you ate poisoning things and being attacked by aliens. Clearly it is too big not to be an alien! 😉 The name has to be ET!
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Pip, the grasshoppers in Portugal tend to be that size. The ones in the UK are quite small (for what I was used seeing). Though scary at first, they don’t do you any harm. 🙂
The portuguese name is gafanhoto.
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thanks Zebra :), The Portuguese GH as well has being the size of aliens are also quite agressive! LOL It’s in hiding at the moment thank goodness. I’ve added the Portuguese name to the above pictures 🙂
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Wonderful images your story offered, I think he is just a harmless grasshopper, just a very large one. We have some ugly big bugs here called Weta and everyone is a afraid of them!
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Hi peasepudding, I can’t believe it chased me! Have not seen it for a few days, so hopefully the dousing with the hose taught it a lesson. OR it may be plotting its revenge!
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That is the ugliest grasshopper I’ve ever seen!
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and me Shell…
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He is huge and enjoying your vegetables… 😉
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I’ve not seen it since I blasted with the hose!
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Looks like a locust!
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Hi Tilly, I thought that, but don’t think locusts come in ones?
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That bug would have scared the crap out of me too – nasty things with voracious appetites for lush green leaves
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Hi Optie, it certainly scared me shiteless!
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So glad Mr. Piglet rushed to the aid of a screaming woman (possibly his wife), lol. As for that creature, it’s body is so thick it scares me, too. If it turns out to be the youthful spawn of space invaders, we’ll have heard it here first!
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Hi Linda, it certainly looked like a being from another planet! It certainly freaked me out when it chased me. I’m such a whimp 😳 Mr Piglet was certainly chastised and he’s the one who will be trapping it in the pool net next time it puts in an appearance.
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Hi Sally, I know he’s priceless!
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I love Mr. Piglet’s off-hand response, “Was that YOU?” haha Good thing it was not a real emergency, only the Godzilla of grasshoppers.
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OOOh I didn’t even see that big old guy when I looked at the pic. I love bugs, find them fascinating and really cool …but am terrified of rodents.
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Hi Jody, not see it! LOL
I am fascinated by bugs, but this one…it attacked me. I don’t like rodents either!
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We used to sing a song about grasshoppers:
Grasshopper sitting on a railroad track
Singing polly wolly doodle all the day
Picking its teeth with a carpet tack
Singing polly wolly doodle all the day
So . . . I would call IT “Polly Wolly.” :lol”
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Aww but Polly Wolly sounds too cute for something so grotesque! Love the rhymn though, Do you remember was it Jimmy cricket in Times square?
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My grandmother taught it to us. Not sure where it originated. But here’s what Wikipedia has to say:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polly_Wolly_Doodle
Wiki has posts on EVERYTHING. 😀
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Alvin and the Chipmunks is def a blast from the past!
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I am not really into naming bugs. More into getting rid of them. I would definitely not want to run into this critter! Although, I would have enjoyed witnessing your responses. 🙂 Hilarious!
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Hi Grandawn – Jumpatus Anscarethecrapaouttaus will certainly be receiving her /his marching orders. I was creeping round my veggie patch today waiting for it to pounce!
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Its official name is, Jumpatus Anscarethecrapaouttaus.
Looks like an ordinary grasshopper to me….probably on steroids. Now you know why we do NOT use any fertilizer in The Ark’s Garden. Told you so.
As they say in some parts of Mud Island (UK to you an me)
“That’ll learn ya.”
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Love the name Jumpatus Anscarethecrapaouttaus You had me there for a moment 😳 I certainly hope it is not looking for a mate!
They certainly never had bugs this size in Mud Island
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Agreed, but they have them in Jo’burg. Called the King Cricket. Eeek, give me the willies, they do. Hate the perishing things.
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Oh my stars, Pip, it sounds like an intense bug battle that you had. Good call on the water hose, I would’ve never thunk of it. I go straight for a fly swatter, tennis racket or something more solid as a weapon of bug wars while screaming for my husband… ;).
Mr. P must be quite a character. lol I bet you were most annoyed at his nonchalant reaction.
That is one huge grasshopper. I agree with MiniClara that it could very well be a female of the species. You may want to contact Game & Wildlife (or whoever Portugal has for critter control) find out the laws about it and see if it’s considered an invasive species. If it is then they may want it destroyed. If it’s not then you may want to take it and turn it loose in the wild.
But I got to tell you, the Western USA was swarmed by grasshoppers/locusts a century or so ago and they ate every bit of the vegetation down to the ground. And it’s thought they were a contributing factor to the Black Blizzards that swept across the plains. I shutter to think what a plague of your ‘It’ ginormous critters could do to the landscape in your region.
Of course, ‘It’ may be consider a rare critter and you will hailed as one of it’s protectors and aren’t allowed to move it to a new home. Then they’ll build a sanctuary around your home and give it a name like MissPigadoriousChaseus. 😉
(Perhaps you should capture it and donate it to a zoo or museum. )
I look forward to hearing what you do about it.
🙂
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Hi EC,
I’ve hatched a plan. Catch it with a net and then rehome it a LONG way away! I’m just worried in case as MC says it’s a female. I don’t it to breed and end up with loads of them. I would def have the screaming hab dabs and the men in white coats would commit me.
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I also think it is a grasshopper, they are harmless unless you are a green plant which they love to chew on!. They are eaten by birds, lizards, spiders and rodents, their droppings make good fertilizer (you would need a lot of them to be effective!!) If they are in a swarm they can devour whole fields of crops within minutes. Name: Mr Hopper.
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Hi Joan,
I wonder if he is the culprit who has chewed great chunks out of the leaves on my orange tree! Mr or Mrs hopper will need to be rehomed. This article made me squirm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1334059/Sussex-woman-finds-Im-A-Celebrity-like-giant-grasshopper-salad.html
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It looks like an Egyptian Grasshopper to me. And it is probably a she – femails are a lot larger than the male. I would have been terrified if it had come after me. Good of Mr P to come to your rescue!!
You may have to encourage it to find a new home. You don’t want it and it’s offspring to eat up your seedlings. The next door neigbour’s cat sounds like a good ally.
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Hi MC, looks like you are right about the Egyptian Grasshopper
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1334059/Sussex-woman-finds-Im-A-Celebrity-like-giant-grasshopper-salad.html
can’t believe this woman has it on her hand!
I am going to get our large net tomrrow, catch it and rehome it 10km away.
The cat may bring it back to me as a gift!
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Wow! that is one close encounter. indeed it looks GINORMOUS! A fun and exciting post. Thanks
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Hi Island traveller, and an experience I won’t forget in a hurry!
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lol! That was a little bitty grasshopper. Here in the Dominican Republic they bring luck but only if they fly in and fly out again. If that happens then money will come to you the next day. If they fly in and die (cat gets them or someone kills them) then something terrible will happen! So be nice to him next time and you may win the lottery!
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Nice to it! I’m going to set the neighbours cat on it! I’m crying at the moment their B cat has just eaten one of the baby birds in our hedge. Just discovered it on our terrace covered in ants, parents are going mad. Sob Sob Sob
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Hi,
You got attacked by a grasshopper, they are harmless, but the worse part is if they land on you, the little spikey bits on their legs stick hard on your clothing and they are hard to get off. It has happened to be a couple of times, and I would of put the hose on him as well. 😀
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Hi Mags, a grasshopper 🙂 I’ve never seen one that big! If he’d have stuck to my clothing, I swear I would have stripped naked on the spot! Blow the neighbours…they would have been screaming instead!
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There are a lot of different variety’s and they do get large, have a look at this one on You Tube.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZLzsHt2efI)
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Wow mags it’s huge. Think I’d ahve jumped to the moon if that had landed on me!
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I would just name IT Mr. Terrifying and be done. I have no idea.
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IT was certainly that!
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oh my..my jaw..floor..scary.. 😮
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He was certainly a scarry little critter!
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