Canon PowerShot S90
ƒ/3.2
6 mm
1/60
80

The biggest insect I have ever seen…. about a half-foot long.

And with the latest alien fashion, an armored scarf… click photo for more detail

17 responses to “Take me to your leader”

  1. First seen, watching the moonrise at dusk, on a wooden beam over the pool

    My size 12 foot for a sense of scale

    IMG_7007

  2. Nothing tops slow cooking…or slow evolution.

  3. Looks like the aliens in the 1967 Hammer Studio movie called Quatermass and the Pit (US title: Five Million Years to Earth) !

    Quatermass and the Pit

  4. I can only imagine how far that thing can jump!

  5. Yep, they look alien:)

  6. They are already among us!

    Vanita – whoa, a good year for immigration… And they have been quietly growing in numbers. One day, they might organize and eat all our crops, or something…

    Dave – they are not fond of the cooking analogy

    Dr D. – and imagine how raspy the probe!

  7. @jeany7
    Yes…and he looks like he was having a wistful moment over it…
    🙂

  8. And hopeful moon travelers… =)

    @jgury – thanks for the ID on that big fella.

  9. In certain countries, grasshoppers are eaten as a good source of protein.

  10. Masters of the hop 🙂

  11. @Steve Jurvetson No problem with big ones. These are bigger than giant weta Deinacrida heteracantha which are touted as record size:
    Maximum Lengths
    Maximum body lengths of the giant weta and male specimens of the world’s bulkiest beetles, including horns and mandibles, accepted from reliable sources are:
    Deinacrida heteracantha: the cricket-like giant weta of Little Barrier Island, New Zealand – 8.5cm (11cm including ovipositor. Legspan: over 7 inches)
    entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/ufbir/chapters/chapter_30.shtml That one on the bricks in Costa Rica is much more more than 8.5 cm and more than a 7” body length like yours.

  12. Yeah, this guy is more like an armored hot dog.

    P.S. I just learned that evil insects from outer space are "one of the most common alien archetypes and also one of the most evil. The name says about everything about them. By the way, most of them use organic technology. Examples: The Tyranids (Warhammer 40K), the Bugs (Starship Troopers), Species 8472 (Star Trek: Voyager), The Geonosians (Star Wars: AoTC), the Nephilim (Wing Commander: Prophecy), the Xenomorphs (Alien), the Spiders from "Lost In Space", the cockroaches from "Men In Black", the Zerg (Starcraft)." (alien archetypes)

  13. Two-eyed, uhm, interesting…

    |-)

    (like the scarf tho)

  14. @Steve Jurvetson Don’t forget that important genre of alien plants. Evil is a bit of a loaded term, Bad or mean green is much more agreeable to them.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLO7IxKwruc

    I forget where we had the definitive "Alien vs. Predator" values discussion. I felt that the aliens as an insect life form were more innocent despite vicious insect lethality vs. the more humanoid and technologically savvy Predators- who would just as well kill off or enslave all of us. That is, humans would be better off trying to control aliens rather than joining forces with the Predators – despite their Rasta iconic warrior cool outfits, hairstyles, tech gadgets and spaceships.

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