Help! There is some kind of bug crawling across the ceiling...

[Jazz2006]

and it's freaking me out because it's kind of big and ugly (as near as I can tell without getting close to it) and I really dislike bugs indoors.

What to do?

Kill, crush, capture, divert, or hope it finds its way to an exit all on its own?

[u4ic]

1. Vacuum the sucker

:)

[Jazz2006]

3. Good idea, but ....

I don't like the idea of it living in the CV any more than I like the fact that it's on the ceiling.....

Will vacuuming it kill it?

[u4ic]

6. Central? I don't know about that

I've found they can crawl out of canister vacuums, but not uprights.

One place I lived in was overrun with silverfish. Gawd, I used to kill at least 4-5 per day.

Earwigs creep me out the most. :scared:

[Jazz2006]

11. Yeah, that's what I thought....

It would just live in the cv canister in the garage and crawl out again to freak me out another day...

I do have a canister vac as well for incidental use, but it's one of those bagless types which would mean that the bug would end up in the refuse container alive.... and then what? Wouldn't it only wander back into my house unless I kill it or deposit it somewhere at a great distance?

I'm really not into the idea of transporting a creepy ugly bug in my car to deposit it somewhere that it can't/won't invade someone else's house.

And yes, earwigs are totally creepy.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. bugs are cool

what does it look like?

[Jazz2006]

4. It's a creepy looking thing....

multi legged, maybe some kind of centipede or silverfish?
I don't know what it is... but it's ugly and creeping me out.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

10. I'm multi legged...Do my two legs make me creepy?

;-)

[Jazz2006]

12. Lol ~ no....

2 is good

4 is good (in some species)

More than 4 is not so good.

:D

[Heidi]

5. Go here to identify it:

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/

If I were there, I'd help you corral it into a container and give it a ride outside.

[Jazz2006]

7. Thanks... it doesn't look like any of those...

and it's now crept across the ceiling and is near a window....

Maybe I can coerce it into exiting without having to crush it?

[Heidi]

9. I'd open the window and use a piece of paper or a whisk broom

to encourage it out the window. Your mileage may vary, but I wouldn't harm an animal that wasn't threatening me.

[Jazz2006]

16. That sounds reasonable.

It's near the window now.

I can probably coax (force) it out the window with a handy book or magazine.

Assuming it doesn't die from the fall (do bugs die from falls?), I'm perfectly okay with coaxing the thing out the window (I've got the latex gloves on already).

But if it ever comes back, you know that I'm going to blame you for encouraging me to let it live ;)

(just kidding)

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

8. Buy a bearded dragon.

When I see a scary bug, I send one of my lizards to get it. They can't climb walls, but if I hold the big male up to the bug, he'll eat it. The leopard geckos are good too, but the bearded dragons are more reliable. Probably because they're a lot larger and have more stomach room.

[Jazz2006]

13. Coolio

But I don't have any bearded dragons or geckos and it's just one bug..... so buying insect eaters seems a bit of overkill for this occasion.

:D

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

15. Yeah $100 on a lizard plus another couple hundred on equipment...

is a bit much.

I have them anyway though, so I might as well put them to good use.

Anyway, here are the DU Lounge Lizards.

[Jazz2006]

18. Whoa!

Those are awesome looking lizards!

Wow!!!

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

21. Yeah that's the breeding trio of leopard geckos.

From left to right...Stumpy, Spot (the lucky male), and Killer. They're super chill too. Spot or Killer will sit on my shoulder for hours while I do stuff. Stumpy is a bit more skittish.

And here's my three-legged bearded dragons...
Dr. Gonzo...in his Andy Warhol decorated handicapped accessible tank...


and his sister, Rauol Duke...


Here's an extra picture of Stumpy because it's such a cool shot.

[Jazz2006]

24. Tres cool, haruka

Not to play favorites, but Stumpy is very photogenic :D

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

28. Leopard geckos are really easy to photograph.

Both kinds are really friendly, easy to handle lizards, but the Leopard Geckos have the advantage of staring. They seriously get fixed on all sorts of weird stuff and just start staring at it. If you have a decent camera, you can get three inches from their face and get an awesome shot.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

14. Don't think of it as a nasty bug...Think of it as bird food.

They will really enjoy it, if you let it outside! :hi:

[Jazz2006]

19. Good point... and it is

about to be bird food..... it's getting closer to the window and I'm about to open the screen.

[Robeson]

17. If it's a non-poisonous spider, it can be your friend....

...by taking care of all the other creepy-crawlies...:-)

[Jazz2006]

22. I don't mind spiders, actually

but this is an ugly bug that is most definitely not a spider.

Now that I've coaxed it toward the window and I can see it more closely, it looks kind of like a centipede. Not threatening, but still ugly.

[Kire]

20. Is it the size of a peanut butter and banana sandwhich?

Look out, President Kennedy, there's a mummy coming after your soul.

[Jazz2006]

23. LOL

No, it's more the size of half a paper clip.

But more importantly, do people really eat peanut butter and banana sandwiches?

[Kire]

25. Elvis does.

He prefers it over the rest home food.

LOL - I'm glad you found something "more important" than that bug. Have you conquered your fear?

[Jazz2006]

27. Ahh. Well, Elvis and the bug

have both left the building :D

[Viva_La_Revolution]

30. My ex does!

He's also my current room-mate, and it still pisses me off when he leaves 1/3 of a banana on the kitchen counter. What the hell am I supposed to do with that?!

[Jazz2006]

31. Left over banana parts....

That's grounds for ...

hmmm...

thinking....

thinking...

hmmm...

er,

I don't know what... :D

But I know that I wouldn't want left over banana parts hanging about.

hee hee

[Jazz2006]

26. Update: the bug

has been gently coaxed out the window and all is right with the world once more.

:D

I'm still not sure what it was, but I'm glad it's gone and I appreciated all of your input :D

(and if it omes back, it's all Heidi's fault!)

[Duer 157099]

29. I might just be making this up, but

I thought that the air pressure in the vacuum cleaner was enough to dehydrate insects -- no? Whenever I have to vacuum them up, I always think they'll just die from the air blast of being inside. Also, I think if you vacuum up some dessicant like boric acid or something, it will make sure bugs in your vacuum die.

I don't know for sure if this is true, or just something I've convinced myself of.