# What is this creature crawling on my utility meter at 5:00 this morning? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 5, 2023, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100 "2023-08-05T12:30:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/21 "2023-08-06T04:00:15Z")
That video is just another reminder that in our homes we are surrounded by things that we don’t really want to know about. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/22 "2023-08-06T04:04:58Z")
Cues up Hall & Oates: “They only come out at night…” I live by a creek near a wooded area, and I’ve heard rustling at night and looked out to see raccoons, opossums, and skunks, which I also could smell. They share the planet with us, like it or not. I also occasionally see surprisingly big spiders, which usually crawl out of my bathroom sink. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/23 "2023-08-06T20:02:56Z")
The things that catch my attention are the very flt rear end and the spot. Aside from that the shape resembles a male kissing bug from shapes googling “Texas insects”. I’m gonna go with my fellow Arkansan Beck on this one. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2023, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/24 "2023-08-06T21:39:42Z")
It doesn’t move anything like a Kissing Bug (Triatominae). They move very deliberately, never “scurrying.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2fI1fNamxv4/hqdefault.jpg "Health alert: kissing bugs could carry killer disease") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fI1fNamxv4&t=49/) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/25 "2023-08-06T22:41:06Z")
Have you considered calling the utility company and just asking who’s assigned to your meter? Could be a night shift worker. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/26 "2023-08-06T22:49:24Z")
Hmmm… he did seem to be carrying a little clipboard. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/27 "2023-08-06T23:29:17Z")
Why is your camera pointed in such an odd place? Worried someone is going to steal your meter? ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/28 "2023-08-07T01:02:44Z")
Looks like an eyeless cave creature. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/29 "2023-08-07T01:10:30Z")
Get out of there! Get out of there! ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/30 "2023-08-07T02:19:40Z")
I for one welcome our new insect overlords. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/31 "2023-08-07T02:55:51Z")
I was thinking the same thing… until I imagined ThelmaLou saying “Enhance video in sector 4” ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/32 "2023-08-07T03:07:31Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Why is your camera pointed in such an odd place? Worried someone is going to steal your meter? > [@dougrb](#): > > I was thinking the same thing… until I imagined ThelmaLou saying “Enhance video in sector 4” My one cat disappears and goes under the house. There’s an opening right behind the meter. I put the camera there to keep track. Sometimes she stays under there all night. These Wyze cameras are fantastic. Super easy to set up. I can easily move it. It’s attached to the meter with a magnet. I’ve run the cord into the house where it’s plugged in. No need to worry about a battery. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/33 "2023-08-07T03:33:07Z")
Sounds Legit. You deal with the bug, however. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/34 "2023-08-07T15:16:52Z")
I think some posters who’ve suggested IDs haven’t noticed the [cerci](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cercus) on this particular insect. Cerci are the “pair of forcep-like pincers” (quote from link) on the back. Cochroaches and pill bugs, for example, don’t have 'em. Earwigs and silverfish do. I think they’re cerci, anyway. In the video, whatever they are don’t seem to move when it crawls. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/35 "2023-08-07T17:38:02Z")
Cockroaches have very prominent cerci; especially American cockroaches. My initial thought was a species of cockroach specifically because of the cerci in the video. ETA: Not all cerci are forcep-like, or used for gripping. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/36 "2023-08-07T17:40:32Z")
Its little head looks more like a type of bug than a cockroach. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/37 "2023-08-07T18:45:16Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > Cockroaches have very prominent cerci; especially American cockroaches. There don’t appear to be any in the images of American cockroaches I’ve seen. Even if they have them, they don’t look like what the OP’s insect has. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/38 "2023-08-07T22:05:53Z")
I’m thinking [palmetto bug](https://cockroachfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/baby-palmetto-bug-side-view.jpg) aka [Florida woods cockroach.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_woods_cockroach) They’d occasionally sneak in under our garage door in the New Orleans 'burbs. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/39 "2023-08-07T22:15:19Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > I’m thinking [palmetto bug](https://cockroachfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/baby-palmetto-bug-side-view.jpg) This can be ruled out because it didn’t notice OP watching and then fly directly at the camera. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100/40 "2023-08-07T22:16:44Z")
FWIW, my experience with palmetto bugs is watching them try to run away from our cats, who were trying to play with them. Then snack on the bugs when they got bored. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-creature-crawling-on-my-utility-meter-at-5-00-this-morning/988100.md?page=3)