AusBonsai

I was out watering my plants late last night, torch in one hand and watering can in the other, when I was getting in close to water my ficus seedlings, my hand brushed up against this monster!





Sorry for the 'quality' shots, was dark and only in torch lighting. The thing was so well camouflaged that I didn't notice him until I brushed him! Scared the life out of me in the dark! he was about 8-10cms long... and really didn't want to let go of my fig!

Anyone know if they are anything to worry about? He didn't seem to be munchin on my green island fig, but I don't know if I just caught him before he had a chance. I've seen him or his like around my plants before... but never chewing on anything

As long as he wasnt eating it haha

Andrew F wrote:As long as he wasnt eating it haha

The size of him... i was scared he was going to eat me! lolz

I kept trying to angle him away from me when I was getting him off... I could totally see him jumping on my face or something

It looks like Chortoicetes terminifera, the Australian plague locust but in its non-plague variant. They are common and wide spread. The species has one set of colour markings at low density hatching and a different set at high. They can eat anything (depending how you taste ) but will stick to eating fresh grasses in daylight hours depending on what is available.

time8theuniverse wrote:It looks like Chortoicetes terminifera, the Australian plague locust but in its non-plague variant. They are common and wide spread. The species has one set of colour markings at low density hatching and a different set at high. They can eat anything (depending how you taste ) but will stick to eating fresh grasses in daylight hours depending on what is available.

That was my other question, as to whether it was a pest or not. Thought it might be prehistoric or something hahahahaha

time8theuniverse wrote:It looks like Chortoicetes terminifera, the Australian plague locust but in its non-plague variant. They are common and wide spread. The species has one set of colour markings at low density hatching and a different set at high. They can eat anything (depending how you taste ) but will stick to eating fresh grasses in daylight hours depending on what is available.

Always good to have a Invert expert on board!!!

Had on of these on dads figs when I was visiting. They do eat bonsai.