Jerusalem Cricket (Uncle Milton Industries-Horrible Pets: Scurry and Scare Bugs)

Walkaround of a Jerusalem cricket, Stenopelmatus sp. by Uncle Milton Industries, Horrible Pets: Scurry and Scare Bugs, copyright 2012. This is one of those fun, novelty reviews, but was deemed necessary as I am not aware of any other figures of Jerusalem crickets. There was one on Shapeways a while back, but my order was canceled as they could not get it to print without breakage. I also need to give thanks to sbell, who found these in a local store and sold them and mailed them to me! There were three other species in the bin, a black widow (with the hourglass on the dorsal side!), a Madagascan hissing cockroach (another popular and familiar species that remains uncommon in toy form), and an American cockroach (see last image below).

I should also point out, the figure and its proportions are somewhat generic, so it could probably also be used as a stand-in for a New Zealand weta as well, but I am leaning more towards a Jerusalem cricket.

The figure is 6.0 cm (without appendages), which could put it in the 1:1 range (BugGuide describes the genus at 2.1-6.9 cm). It is made of a soft, rubbery material. The figure (all four) come on wheels (see next to the last image). I have removed the wheels from the figures I am retaining (the extra cricket is going to sphyrna18). I do not collect mechanical/RC toys, but I have collected bugs on wheels, if I can successfully remove the wheels (I have a rarely-made soldier termite that I had to get on wheels too!).

On to the pics:

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With and without original wheels:

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The whole gang:

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Again you show perfect photos us unusual, wonderful and interesting models, and descibe them really well

Thankyou to you, and hurray for friends like Sbell

Interesting stuff. I believe i have a wheel insect in one of my boxes too :)

I just went to the 2016 Uncle Milton catalogue online, and these four are still offered but in their publicity shots, they have the black widow painted like an Australian redback widow or possibly a katipo!

Amazing that there aren't more Jerusalem crickets! They're so cool and weird.

I'll admit, I thought it was cool. And I knew who would want one!

Glad I could help!

Cute!

We get those guys here in Northern AZ.