When the temperatures start to cool I can count on a few of these unwelcome visitors finding a way into my house. Now I’ve been known to get up close and personal with spiders (non-poisonous varieties) watching them for hours spin and dangle from their webs. I’m not afraid of snakes, frogs or lizards. But these monsters terrify me. They are called camel or cave crickets, aka, spider crickets, mutant crickets, criders and sprickets. Now they do not make an annoying chirping noise like their cousins. No. It’s even more horrible!!! If you happen to make eye contact with them, they will consider you a predator and jump on you! How terrifying is that?!?! Needless to say, these vermin will send me squealing, seeking shelter! I saw my first one this evening in our mud room on the wall…it must be fall!
(Of course the photo below was not taken by me…do I look crazy?!) 😳 photo credit goes to the professionals at Russell’s Pest Control.
terror
comes calling
every fall
leaping spider crickets
sprickets
~kat
A cinqku must always have 5 lines and a perfect seventeen-syllable count. The lines typically follow a 2,3,4,6,2 format. There is no title requirement on the second line. As for syntax and diction styles, it follows the free Tanka style originally. There are no metric requirements for a cinqku poem. Additionally, the final line must contain a cinquain or kireji turn for emphasis.
like mercury colliding... 
September 8th, 2019 at 9:58 pm
Oh my. This is a new critter for me. What do the cats think of these?
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September 9th, 2019 at 1:12 pm
I have not seen the cats engage with these creepy jumpers, though they have no problem with crickets and moths. I read that they give off an odor to attract a mate. Maybe it’s rather like a stink bug…ewww.
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September 8th, 2019 at 10:16 pm
Something for another critter – the noiseless, patient, useful spider
Their webs –
Lace fretwork
Finely woven
Mosquito and fly traps
Respect!
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September 9th, 2019 at 9:24 am
Nicely penned Josie.
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September 8th, 2019 at 11:17 pm
Yikes! Not my cup of tea at all
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September 9th, 2019 at 9:24 am
As I mentioned, me neither!!!
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September 9th, 2019 at 11:50 am
🕷
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September 9th, 2019 at 2:43 am
My goodness, that’s new to me . I hope I never meet one! Arrrrrrrrrgh! 💜
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September 9th, 2019 at 9:30 am
I hope not either! They are fairly large as insects go…the size of a good sized grasshopper. But the worst is their habit of jumping at you!!! YIKES!
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September 9th, 2019 at 12:05 pm
Should we have a “great deal” with you after Brexit (if it happens, and I hope it doesn’t) then please do not include these critters. You can keep them!
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September 9th, 2019 at 1:10 pm
I am hoping for you all over the pond…that sanity will reign. At least members of your parliament have a backbone. As for the sprickets…I hope the one I saw last night was the last one…though I doubt it. ‘Tis the season…
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