I don’t know what the hell those hopping insects in my basement are, but they certainly know who I am now. The struggle between man and the creepy-crawly-things-that-invade-his-home took a drastic turn this evening. After an unexpected encounter, a battle ensued with five or six lives lost. Fortunately they were all on the other side. I did not emerge unscathed, however, as I have a full blown case of the heebee-jeebees (not to be mistaken for the far more embarassing jeepers-creepers). Exact numbers are unknown, but there appears to be only one remaining enemy – and he is hiding out in the darkest corner of the basement. Just biding his time…
Actually, it turns out these things are called camel crickets. WTF?!?! Alright, the name cave cricket makes a bit more sense but, regardless, these suckers are nasty (not safe for the faint of heart). They make me long for the days of the enormous spiders I battled with in Montclair – although they are still an upgrade over the creepiest of all crawlies. I’ve told Lisa to steer clear of the battle zone as I’ve left the remains as a warning for all would-be followers. That, and their bodies don’t squish so nice and neat, so clean up is being left ’til morning.