Critters from the Underworld

An Invasion of Devil's Horses

In the early 70’s, my father's parents lived in an old house while they were building their dream home a couple miles down the road. This home had typical old house characteristic like squirrels in the attic and leaks in the roof. Oh, and um....... a ghost named George.

I clearly remember hearing George’s footsteps. Thinking my grandfather was home from work, I ran to the door…. no Gramps. "George again." George ended up moving to my grandparent’s new home, opening doors and walking heavy throughout the house. Once, George even startled house guests in an upstairs bedroom.

When Grandpa would finally get home from work, we would walk around the yard and admire the marigolds, the buttercups, and the hydrangeas. I also recall stepping on these large black grasshoppers. Hissing, popping, red, striped, giant, grasshoppers. I am sure some of these were the size of my sandals at the time.

Until late last summer, I had forgotten about these grasshoppers. I grew up about 2 miles from here and they were never in our yard there. However, they popped up everywhere at ThirteenEleven devouring all my perennial transplants.

When they started showing up about a week ago, I thought I would see what the Internet had to say about these shiny black creatures with the red or yellow stripe. Maybe there was an easy way to rid our yard and save our plants.

The adult Eastern Lubber is resistant to many insecticides. Birds do not eat them, and those magic lizards that I allow to hang out on the deck leave them alone.

Oh…So that is why the stomping worked best.

They are small now, but they will grow to 4"-5" long. Eugh!

I have squished over 100 so far.

Double eeeeuuuuugh!

I read where these were called Devil's Horses by ol'timers.