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9 August 2005, 10:54 PM

This made me jump when I looked in the skimmer on Saturday afternoon. I mean bugs don't creep me out and at the end of any given day I've likely got 10 centipedes and 10 spiders on the bottom of my pool (to vacuum out).

But this is the biggest freakin' bug I've seen in Canada (outside a museum). It looks like it's got wings so it may be in the locust family... but I'm at a loss. I can't find any answers on the 'net and am about to email some pix to an entimological website.

Anyone ever seen anything like this in North America?

padi56 · 9 August 2005, 11:30 PM

Looks like a Giant Water Bug, Lethocerus cordofanus but mainly found
in Africa but found in many other places on this planet adults can fly

9 August 2005, 11:35 PM

Wow, that's it!! Peter, that was easy.

So they come from Africa? Like I said... I've NEVER seen a bug this big in Canada.

BTW Peter, how did you access that pic and can you forward me any links? I've tried googling different things to no avail.

padi56 · 9 August 2005, 11:44 PM

http://www.nfi.org.za/inverts/BIG12/h2obug.html

Giant Water Bug October Creature of the Month Minnesota Pollution Control Agency .

10 August 2005, 12:03 AM

Thanks. That is one ugly bug. If they started in Africa, I wonder how the heck they got to the Ottawa Valley?

10 August 2005, 01:43 AM

BTW, it's kind of ironic that the Giant Water Bug, the largest insect in North America, that packs a stinging bite...

drowned in my pool.

10 August 2005, 02:18 AM

Cripes! That thing is HUGE!!!

I kinda wish they had stayed in Africa!

We don't have a pool at this house, but did at our former house and the things that I would find in the water would amaze me. Some of the spiders we found drowned in the pool were huge compared to what we normally see here. Of course, with my wife being from Australia, these are tiny compared to what she has seen before (a Huntsman for instance).

One question, is anyone else in Canada or the US finding that the number/size of the spiders around this year is bigger than usual on both counts? Maybe it's due to the hot weather? I swear we are finding more spiders in the house this summer than we normally would see in 3 years, and in particualr we have found a bunch of large black spiders, with white stripes down their bodies - these are sometimes in excess of 2 inches long (they aren't round, but longer than wider). There have been nights where we see 2 or 3 just before going to bed (of course). My policy is that they must die if they are inside the house, at least on the main level where we live (the basement is another matter, as I usually leave the more harmless looking spiders alone down there).

10 August 2005, 02:23 AM

I've noticed the spiders seem larger this year as well. We have a large deck in the back, overlooking the pool and the spidies seem to like making web on it. I pressurewash them to kingdom come.

No spiders seen inside the house this summer, but I also follow the ideology that all insects in the house must die. Why is it you always see spiders on the ceiling just before you go to bed?

Manatee · 10 August 2005, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avalon

One question, is anyone else in Canada or the US finding that the number/size of the spiders around this year is bigger than usual on both counts? Maybe it's due to the hot weather?

Yes, but I think it's due to the political climate.

baseballduck · 10 August 2005, 06:43 AM

Thats a really freakin big bug! We had a pool at our old house and we found a dead muskrat in it once. It still amazes us because we lived(and still do) in the middle of the city. We always found some weird stuff floating in there.

Tyler

dman · 10 August 2005, 01:09 PM

I can't stand bugs!

That looks like it is from the Tyrannosaurus Rex family, I could be wrong though.

9 August 2005, 11:44 PM	#4
padi56 "TRF" Life Patron Join Date: Jun 2005 Real Name: Peter Location: Llanfairpwllgwyng Watch: ing you. Posts: 53,210	http://www.nfi.org.za/inverts/BIG12/h2obug.html Giant Water Bug October Creature of the Month Minnesota Pollution Control Agency . __________________ ICom Pro3 All posts are my own opinion and my opinion only. "The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop. Now is the only time you actually own the time, Place no faith in time, for the clock may soon be still for ever." Good Judgement comes from experience,experience comes from Bad Judgement,.Buy quality, cry once; buy cheap, cry again and again. www.mc0yad.club Second in command CEO and left handed watch winder

10 August 2005, 06:43 AM	#10
baseballduck "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Real Name: Tyler Location: Pinehurst NC Watch: Explorer 214270 Posts: 1,018	Thats a really freakin big bug! We had a pool at our old house and we found a dead muskrat in it once. It still amazes us because we lived(and still do) in the middle of the city. We always found some weird stuff floating in there. Tyler __________________ Sedit qui timuit ne non succederet. Member #84

10 August 2005, 01:09 PM	#11
dman Lifetime TRF Patron Join Date: May 2005 Real Name: Daren Location: Austin Watch: the road Posts: 13,585	I can't stand bugs! That looks like it is from the Tyrannosaurus Rex family, I could be wrong though. __________________ You either get it or you don't, if you have to ask, YOU DON'T!! I really hope that midget cop doesn't find me in Kokomo.

9 August 2005, 11:35 PM	#3
Atomic Guest Posts: n/a	Wow, that's it!! Peter, that was easy. So they come from Africa? Like I said... I've NEVER seen a bug this big in Canada. BTW Peter, how did you access that pic and can you forward me any links? I've tried googling different things to no avail.

10 August 2005, 12:03 AM	#5
Atomic Guest Posts: n/a	Thanks. That is one ugly bug. If they started in Africa, I wonder how the heck they got to the Ottawa Valley?

10 August 2005, 01:43 AM	#6
Atomic Guest Posts: n/a	BTW, it's kind of ironic that the Giant Water Bug, the largest insect in North America, that packs a stinging bite... drowned in my pool.

10 August 2005, 02:18 AM	#7
---- Guest Posts: n/a	Cripes! That thing is HUGE!!! I kinda wish they had stayed in Africa! We don't have a pool at this house, but did at our former house and the things that I would find in the water would amaze me. Some of the spiders we found drowned in the pool were huge compared to what we normally see here. Of course, with my wife being from Australia, these are tiny compared to what she has seen before (a Huntsman for instance). One question, is anyone else in Canada or the US finding that the number/size of the spiders around this year is bigger than usual on both counts? Maybe it's due to the hot weather? I swear we are finding more spiders in the house this summer than we normally would see in 3 years, and in particualr we have found a bunch of large black spiders, with white stripes down their bodies - these are sometimes in excess of 2 inches long (they aren't round, but longer than wider). There have been nights where we see 2 or 3 just before going to bed (of course). My policy is that they must die if they are inside the house, at least on the main level where we live (the basement is another matter, as I usually leave the more harmless looking spiders alone down there).

10 August 2005, 02:23 AM	#8
Atomic Guest Posts: n/a	I've noticed the spiders seem larger this year as well. We have a large deck in the back, overlooking the pool and the spidies seem to like making web on it. I pressurewash them to kingdom come. No spiders seen inside the house this summer, but I also follow the ideology that all insects in the house must die. Why is it you always see spiders on the ceiling just before you go to bed?

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