Let's play ... Name That Insect!

[MadAzza]

I walked out of Kapolei Safeway tonight, glanced down at the curb and saw some kind of critter I've never seen before. It looked like a really small lobster, maybe an inch and a half long, sort of a brownish-red color. My second thought was, "Scorpion!" (My first was, "EEEEEK!")

I didn't examine it for long because I had this (maybe) irrational fear that it would somehow vault itself upward with some sort of amazing insect strength and land on my face. So I just scuttled away like a big old bug myself. I just wanted to get away from the thing. But now I'm curious.

What was it? Any ideas? Was it a scorpion of some sort? Do I have to worry about one of these things somehow ending up in my bed, shower or dresser drawer? Oh, God, I wish I hadn't thought of that.

[lavagal]

Re: Let's play ... Name That Insect!

I walked out of Kapolei Safeway tonight, glanced down at the curb and saw some kind of critter I've never seen before. It looked like a really small lobster, maybe an inch and a half long, sort of a brownish-red color. My second thought was, "Scorpion!" (My first was, "EEEEEK!")

My guess is that it was a scorpion. I brought one into the house on the bottom of my slipper after a recent surfing session with a writer at The Advertiser. Don't know if I picked it up in his car or at the nearby beach. He lives around the corner from me. It was about three inches long and we could hardly see it at first on the beige berber. We put it in a jar for the kids to see.
I have friends who have torn out sofas seeking one that burrowed into the crevices, or put newspapers down around their bed so they could hear them at night. I think it's rare for them to come into the house. Cats like to play with them.

[AuntieNellieKulolo]

Re: Let's play ... Name That Insect!

I was working at this particular library and there were boxes of books stored in the attic which I decided to empty one day. I reached into a box with both hands and grabbed the books, looked down, and there was something crawling inside the box. Sure enough, it was a scorpion. I was this close to being stung. I didn't want to put the critter on the floor and step on it b/c I was wearing sandals so I took the box downstairs-my co-worker was wearing Docs-much better for scorpion stomping. I still get chicken skin when I think of it...

[pinakboy]

Re: Let's play ... Name That Insect!

yah leeward side get scorpions... first time i saw one was in waianae when we were loading keawe wood onto our pickup! dis was back in the mid 70's too. i was tripping out coz i neva tot hawaii had scorpions and only saw'em on TV and in books.
was kinda cool looking til my kid brada wen stompem with his slippahs!!

[buzz1941]

Re: Let's play ... Name That Insect!

We're getting some weird little bugs, but only in one place -- they come to die in our kitchen bay window. They're like dark, softer ladybugs, a bit smaller. A dozen a day show up, have no idea if they're coming in from outside or from inside....

[1stwahine]

Re: Let's play ... Name That Insect!

We're getting some weird little bugs, but only in one place -- they come to die in our kitchen bay window. They're like dark, softer ladybugs, a bit smaller. A dozen a day show up, have no idea if they're coming in from outside or from inside....

It could be flower beetles from what you described according to DH.

Lynn

[surlygirly]

Re: Let's play ... Name That Insect!

I got attacked by those during a hike at Makapu'u Point! Eww! We thought they were just aggressive Lady Bugs, but then they started getting gross. There are definitely some strange bugs out here, huh?

[buzz1941]

Re: Let's play ... Name That Insect!

After some Googling, I'm leaning toward cigarette beetles.