I haven't seen one of these things for decades and all of a sudden these hiddeous creatures are being delivered to my living room. I didn't even think these creatures lived around here. I say creatures because these potato bugs are like monsters, worse than anything anyone could ever imagine in a horror film, only because they're REAL. Somehow Briar has mastered the skill of luring these things out of hiding.
Occasionally when I was a child, I would see one of these dead on the sidewalk or on our patio. I have never seen one alive until Briar began presenting me with all kinds of creepy crawlers. I can tolerate most of his gifts of quail and the occasional decapitated mouse, but I can't bring myself to go anywhere near these potato bugs. My dad used to tell me stories about these things, I think he was traumatized as a child. They used to find them 4-6 inches long and they would poke at them with pencils. He said one of the buggers snapped the lead tip off of one.
Briar, however, loves potato bugs. Not just to play with, but I've actually seen him crunch the head off a two incher. Good thing he ate it because I probably wouldn't have the guts to remove it myself.