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Smoky Mountains
University of Tennessee Biological Field Station
August 8-10, 2008
 
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Photo#174451
Very Big Bugs - Tropidischia xanthostoma - male - female

Very Big Bugs - Tropidischia xanthostoma - Male Female
Kalamath, Red Woods County, California, USA
August 22, 2006
Size: 3-4" Long
While frolicking in the beautiful Red Wood forest I noticed something very large. In a large rotted hole in a fallen tree I saw many legs. At the time I didn’t know it, but when we got home and put the pictures on the computer, we saw that there were two of the bugs. My son swears it is one bug shedding it’s skin, but I think it was two bugs. It was not aggressive but when I got closer retreated farther into the hole. I got a couple of shots and shared my discovery with others passing by. I got the same reaction from the rest of the tourists “What the ---- is that?”

Images of this individual: tag all
Very Big Bugs - Tropidischia xanthostoma - male - female Very Big Bugs - Tropidischia xanthostoma - male - female

Not an ID
but I suspect something like mating Camel Crickets (Rhaphidophoridae)???
http://bugguide.net/node/view/153/bgimage

 
Winner!
Ding-ding-ding-ding! Exactly right. More specifically, the "square-legged camel cricket," Tropidischia xanthostoma. I remember seeing these in 4-H collections at the Oregon state fair, from Oregon, and wondering where they 'really' came from:-) Never saw a live one in all my time there....

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