One made a web between the columns on either side of my porch steps once. Rushing out of the house that morning, I didn’t see it and nearly got knocked back on my heels. Spider silk has a reputation for being strong and it’s true. Also, ick.
It’s an ongoing argument in our house to leave them or kill with extreme prejudice. I think they are cool for the reasons you mention, but others are of the opinion that bugs shouldn’t run that fast and if they do, it’s because they’re about to attack you.
Another cool “bug” I like seeing is the wolf spider. Harmless yet still totally bad-ass.
These guys appear every summer.
Always freaks the new residents out:
That’s funny, and you must have some big centipedes and small spiders, because in my household the spiders eat the centipedes.
House centipedes, at least around here, grow to about 1.5 to 2" long. Most of our indoor spiders are substantially smaller than that – we do have bigger spider species in the area, but the big ones tend to stay in the yard.
A picture of a house centipede, for an idea of scale (spoilered because it may give some folks the heebie-jeebies):
That’s interesting. I’m in Germany, and the centipedes that conquer my house every summer to either be eliminated by spiders or dying of hunger (or despair?) look like this and are much smaller (I estimate not longer than 2 cm (4/5 inch):
Now that it’s technically monsoon I should start seeing tarantulas. They’re kind of personable. I found one cruising across the lobby floor one night and managed -using a dustpan - to scoop it up and take it outside. Well. As it stomped away you could practically hear it. Stomp stomp. “Fine, then. I didn’t want to be in there anyhow.” Stomp stomp. “I wasn’t even doing anything”. Stomp stomp.
Are these the ones that rear up when they see you and act like they are going to punch you out, even if you are 10,000 times bigger?
Yup, they’ll act all tough, but run away if you get close. Unless you’re tiny. They catch their prey by jumping on them, not with webs.
Hey, you said ‘Cool Bug’.
volkswagen spider in moundhouse nevada - Bing images
I see it every time I go skiing.
I was a Jr entomologist with the University of Manitoba and have always been fascinated by creepy crawlys.
I love dragonflies especially as they are terrifying as nymphs (The inspiration for Alien apparently).
Jumping spiders even though they’re arachnids.
Finally, these slightly nasty things. Longhorn spruce beetles.
There’s lots more but those three are off the top of my head.
I had a few beautiful dragonflies in my collection, but they’re notoriously hard to catch, the way they dart around.
Hey, I think I know that bug! I think it used to be in Weiser Idaho. Here at these coordinates 44.272737, -116.967239 will take you to a satellite view in google maps with two more similar bugs. There used to be 4 and your VW Bug was one of them, I’m certain. Always did wish there was a way to see them up close or in a good pic, but they are or were on private property and I couldn’t ever find good pics.
ETA apple maps only shows one remaining car bug
They a bunch of dem, all over. Any fool with a welder can make one.
true, I’ve never seen them anywhere else though.
Coolest bugs that appear regularly around here (Wellington, New Zealand) are wetas.
Here’s one that thinks it lives in the kid’s wardrobe:
Australia was good for cool bugs. Big stick insects, centipedes, ants, etc.
And then there was Mothra:
There are at least two in my neck of the woods. One is on a roof-top in Reno, the one I linked is just off the side of the highway about 50 miles south. I think it was originally in south Reno and moved there, but it might be a unique one. The freeway by-passes where I think it used to be, and don’t see it anymore 'cause I never go down that road. I always assumed it got moved to where it is now. It looks the same, but I guess they all would, wouldn’t they?
About that post just above: Holy Shit! That moth could carry off my dog!
Anyone ever see a luna moth in the wild? That was the one specimen I could never get in my collection.
Only once, decades ago. My family was on vacation at a resort park in the mountains in West Virgina, and one evening, in addition to the many smaller moths and bugs which were flying around a light in the parking lot, there was a luna, swooping around, and dwarfing all of them.
Stick insects are pretty nifty IMHO
I like Bumblebees as well.
Brian