XPost: or.politics, or.general   
   From: nobody@spam.com   
      
   "gatt"  wrote in message   
   news:9hvsg.4995$oa1.829@news02.roc.ny...   
   >   
   > Was at some friends' housewarming in the country between Pedee and King's   
   > Valley this weekend.  While we were hanging out on their deck we saw and   
   > captured one of the largest beetles I've ever seen outside of a museum.   
   > This made those monster ironclad Mississippi roaches and palmetto bugs   
   > seem small, but thankfully it didn't move as fast or attempt to fly.   
   >   
   > It was brownish black, had wings under its armor plating, long antennae...   
   > in all, probably 4" long.   We caught it in a little box to observe and   
   > identify it and some treehugger at the party let it out of the box before   
   > we could determine whether it was a choking hazard or something for their   
   > puppy.   (My mom had a shepherd that choked on a locust in Texas.)   
   >   
   > Anybody know what it might be?  It's still loose.  Rob, the homeowner, is   
   > from Alaska and the biggest bug he's used to is a mosquito so he's   
   > probably still hiding under his bed with his shotgun.   
   >   
   > -c   
   >   
   >   
   >   
      
   I live about 10 miles due north of where you were.  I have seen the beetles   
   you are talking about.  I have seen maybe 3 in the 9 years I have lived   
   here.  They really scare the #@*(*! out of you if you step on them.  No idea   
   if they can do any harm, but if you scare / hurt them them make a squeaking   
   / clicking sound that is pretty disconcerting.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)