(I loathe Ankhegs, my first D&D character died after getting soaked in a spray of acid from one on his second adventure.)
Posted on 07/25/2021 7:54:23 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
The frightening creatures go by various names. Some call them whip-scorpions, while one journalist at the Houston Chronicle called the insect a "land lobster from hell."
The insects are better known as vinegaroons, and despite their hellish appearances, the nocturnal, visually impaired creatures pose relatively little harm to humans. In fact, they are good at killing pests like cockroaches and millipedes.
Brought out of their burrows by heavy rains in and around Big Bend National Park in southwest Texas, the approximately three-inch-long vinegaroons are out exploring the desert in search of food and love, according to a Facebook post from the park.
Vinegaroons pose dual threats to those who happen to annoy them. They can use their heavy pincers to pinch and shoot a "well-aimed" concoction of 85% acetic acid (which smells like vinegar) from the base of their whip-like tails.
The spray is not considered to be venomous for people, and vinegaroons aren't all that interested in humans. To catch their prey, vinegaroons use their long, thin front legs to sense vibrations from animals including millipedes, scorpions, crickets and cockroaches.
Vinegaroons can be found across the southern United States and Mexico. Those brave enough to look closely at a vinegaroon might see a female vinegaroon carrying her hatchlings on her back.
I had an acid shooting land lobster once.
—
There are some on FR also - not so harmless ...
Yup.
And darn graboids are out again.
Took a guy to a hospital once - he had a heart condition which made the bite and the blisters worse. Brown Recluses like lilac trees in bloom.
When we first encountered them here in NM, I looked them up. The information said that though they're not venomous, a bite can get infected because they feed on nasties and they could harbor bacteria. They do have the ability to impart a nasty bite.
They got some kind of scorpion over there that my buddy said is is lethal.
(I loathe Ankhegs, my first D&D character died after getting soaked in a spray of acid from one on his second adventure.)
Ha! Fred.
We have a dirty bug!
“It shoots through schools”
>>>My wife has NASCAR the size of a quarter on her leg from being bitten by a brown recluse spider.<<<
Happened to me as well. The Dermatologist used what I would call a Cigar Punch to excise the dead tissue from my Leg which left a round scar.
He told me it could have been worse. I guess the Spider didn’t have a chance to inject a full dose of poison into my Leg or it would have affected a larger area.
Cringe...
Reminds me of the Outer Limits Episode with the giant Ants with Human like Faces.
The Special Effects were pretty bad in that Episode.
“Exploring the desert in search of food and love”
The Eagles made a lot of money singing songs about that.
Autocorrect is worse on a small cell phone screen!
“My first introduction to these creatures...”
Yet another reason I stay ABOVE the Mason-Dixon line at all times, LOL!
I had my FILL of big bugs in SC, and I had to spend a YEAR (well, three months) at Ft. Beaureguard, Louisiana wading through swampland to get Land Nav. certified. Gawd, how I LOATHE that state!
Sorry, LA FReepers! This land-locked Yankee is NOT built for swamps! :)
Amen, Big Bob! AMEN! Nothing like a blast of arctic air to keep the creepy crawlies at bay! :)
It took me about 15 whacks with a flyswatter to kill a wasp that was in my bedroom the other night. LUCKILY, I saw that it was IN THE COVERS before I got into bed!
The older I get, the more I'm like Indiana Jones and snakes...but I don't mind snakes, as long as I know where they are, and they don't sneak up on me. And we have Bull Snakes that look EXACTLY like Rattlers, but have no rattle.
This should trip someones trigger, LOL!
Every thread is better with a little Bacon! ;)
LOL! Excellent point!
See my Post 54! I’d believe it! Gawd, I hate that state!
They had big black King Scorpions, mid size yellow ones, and small green ones. The green ones will kill you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.