Scariest Bug Ever

This huge bug (2" long not counting the tail and antenae) scurried rapidly across the trail at Trout Brook Valley in Easton/Weston today. He was so big I thought he was a crayfish at first, although he scurried more like a big cockroach. I forgot my camera so I put him in a container and brought him home for identification. I'm no bug expert, and had a hard time figuring this one out. My husband suggested he looked like an earwing on steroids. By looking at the general descriptions of the various insect orders, I found some unexpected similarities with crickets. But look at those claws! Reminded me of a mole or a grizzly bear. So I Googled "crickets" and bingo, I found the "mole cricket."

He made such racketwith those claws trying to get out of the tupperware my husband thought it was our puppy digging around under the couch.

They say the mole crickets are actually pretty benign and don't bite, but I didn't test it out. And they say some can fly (oh, dear God, we could have these things flying around?!!).

In addition to the crazy bug, I found five letterboxes that had been planted six years ago in the park and were still in great shape.