# Help me remember - weird bug with a weird name? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 27, 2019, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268 "2019-02-27T01:41:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/1 "2019-02-27T01:41:33Z")
I am racking my brain trying to remember the name for this bug. It’s a harmless, but reasonably big insect, with sort of long, bent, pincher arms, and kind of a flat body. The name is something cutesy, like reminds me of hurdy burdy or rolly-poly? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/2 "2019-02-27T02:19:58Z")
Too easy, but praying mantis? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/3 "2019-02-27T02:24:52Z")
Stink bug? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/4 "2019-02-27T02:45:14Z")
Stag beetle? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/5 "2019-02-27T02:53:22Z")
_Hallucigenia_? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/6 "2019-02-27T02:56:14Z")
Vinegarroon? ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/7 "2019-02-27T03:01:58Z")
Nope. None of these. Dammit. It will come back to me, it will just drive me insane first. ---
**Author:** ![40below](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/51bf81/32.png) [@40below](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/40below)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/8 "2019-02-27T03:02:57Z")
Dung beetle ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/9 "2019-02-27T03:08:06Z")
Amblypygi ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/10 "2019-02-27T03:14:33Z")
Pincher arms make me think earwig? We could cutesify the name to “eary-wiggy” if you like. [https://www.google.com/search?q=earwig&rlz=1CAJFEX\_enUS828US828&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi7tsrS-NrgAhVKPN8KHT9CC5wQ\_AUIDigB&biw=1242&bih=583](https://www.google.com/search?q=earwig&rlz=1CAJFEX_enUS828US828&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi7tsrS-NrgAhVKPN8KHT9CC5wQ_AUIDigB&biw=1242&bih=583) Or silverfish? [https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1CAJFEX\_enUS828US828&biw=1242&bih=583&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=HwB2XIfPBMuOggewxqfICw&q=silverfish&oq=silver&gs\_l=img.3.0.35i39j0i67l3j0j0i67j0l4.68667.70402..72072...0.0..0.107.506.5j1......1....1..gws-wiz-img.C5uZ5nkE5-0](https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1CAJFEX_enUS828US828&biw=1242&bih=583&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=HwB2XIfPBMuOggewxqfICw&q=silverfish&oq=silver&gs_l=img.3.0.35i39j0i67l3j0j0i67j0l4.68667.70402..72072...0.0..0.107.506.5j1......1....1..gws-wiz-img.C5uZ5nkE5-0) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/11 "2019-02-27T03:53:52Z")
Are you sure about pincher arms? Not many insects have those. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/12 "2019-02-27T03:57:22Z")
Daddylonglegs (harvestmen) aren’t insects but are harmless and fairly big. There actually are “bugs” called roly-poly bugs (pillbugs, woodlice, _Armadillidium vulgare_), although they’re crustaceans rather than insects. Quite small and not long-legged, though. Mealy bugs have a “cutesy” name but, again, aren’t anything like your description. Water striders or “Jesus bugs”, aquatic insects held up by surface tension on the top of bodies of water, are more like your description but I can’t believe you wouldn’t have remembered the water striding. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/13 "2019-02-27T03:58:26Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Are you sure about pincher arms? Not many insects have those. Yeah, that’s what’s flummoxing me too. Actual pincers or just long antennae? Still, I’m on the edge of my seat to find out what this insect is. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/14 "2019-02-27T04:14:15Z")
The description, for me, mentally calls up a scorpion, but that ain’t harmless. … something vaguely resembling a scorpion, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/15 "2019-02-27T04:26:14Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > The description, for me, mentally calls up a scorpion, but that ain’t harmless. > > … something vaguely resembling a scorpion, perhaps? > **[Tailless Whip Scorpion (Amblypygi)](https://arachnipedia.fandom.com/wiki/Tailless_Whip_Scorpion_(Amblypygi))** > > Amblypygi is an order of invertebrate animals belonging to the class Arachnida, in the subphylum Chelicerata of the phylum Arthropoda. They form a separate order of arachnids alongside the spiders, scorpions and others. Amblypygids are also known as... Amblypygi. I found it! Whew! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/16 "2019-02-27T04:28:13Z")
Cooties? nope, that’s not it either… ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/17 "2019-02-27T04:35:36Z")
> [@Poysyn](#): > > [Tailless Whip Scorpion (Amblypygi) | Arachnipedia Wiki | Fandom](https://arachnipedia.fandom.com/wiki/Tailless_Whip_Scorpion_%28Amblypygi%29) > > Amblypygi. I found it! Whew! “It looks like an alien monster from the depths of hell that will eat your face” as part of the description would have helped. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/18 "2019-02-27T04:40:09Z")
And I would have thought the common name “tailless whip scorpion” would have been pretty memorable as well as decidedly non-“cutesy”. Still, good work **Poysyn** on remembering it, I think it would have taken us a long time to guess! ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/19 "2019-02-27T05:01:58Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > And I would have thought the common name “tailless whip scorpion” would have been pretty memorable as well as decidedly non-“cutesy”. Still, good work **Poysyn** on remembering it, I think it would have taken us a long time to guess! Sorry. I remember thinking “Awww what a cute name…I bet it’s cute, like a ladybug or a bumble…DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN, WHAT THE F IS THAT?” ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268/20 "2019-02-27T05:03:00Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > “It looks like an alien monster from the depths of hell that will eat your face” as part of the description would have helped. Yes. Yes it does! And why does everyone have it on their face in the results? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-weird-bug-with-a-weird-name/830268.md?page=2)