Thursday, May 22, 2008

Watch out for that beak!

My latest masterpiece is a custom order that I've fallen completely in love with. Sending this guy in the mail will be a sad day.

It's a giant water bug, Lethocerus americanus. I often keep them as pets. Well, whenever I can catch them. I had some dead specimens (found that way in parking lots) that I used as models. In reality they get about two inches long. They live in water but breath air through tubes sticking out of their abdomen, and will sometimes fly around at night, attracted to lights.

They have a nasty bite, that beak they've got in the front can be really painful. So I've heard... for all the ones I've handled I've never been bitten. In fact, I rarely get bitten or stung by things, and I play with a *lot* of animals I shouldn't, haha.

3 comments:

Tia Colleen said...

I'm trying really hard to like bugs. Every time I come read your blog I give myself a pat on the back. I wish all bugs looked like your plushy bugs.

Katie L. said...

Who would have thought a waterbug could be so darn cute?

RedMarionette said...

I suppose I didnt realize a water bug looked like that. Freakin sweet and plushie! :)