I live in Chicago. I heard a loud rustling noise and it came from my light fixture. Out came a HUGE beatle-roach-looking thing. I am not exaggerating. It was about 5" long, 3" wide, brown, had non-functioning wings, and 4"-5" antennas. I sprayed it with Raid repeatedly and it didn't die. It was slow moving. It fell to the floor and I squashed it with a hard-covered book and a 10 lb hand-weight. What the heck is this?!
2006-10-08 17:54:19 · 19 answers · asked by beccamt2006 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
Some cockroaches are huge. Where there is one there are others. Call an exterminator.
2006-10-08 17:55:51 · answer #1 · answered by Plasmapuppy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like a cockroach to me.
Roaches can get huge. If there is sufficient amount of food for anything they can get big. Also roaches eat on the coating of the electronic wires (insulation) and hearing Chicago, used to live there and no matter where i lived there, there was always a roach problem. 5 inches with just a long as antenna sounds like a roach. Also not being able to kill it...even more like a roach. If you cut a roach in half, the head will live for about 2 days (2 weeks i can't remember which one it is) I don't believe raid would kill it.
Plant some roach houses in dark electronics areas in your house, and your roach houses should clean em out. Roach bombs, so far and such do not work. You need to get the roach to bring the stuff back to the eggs and spread the poison that way.
G'luck
2006-10-08 17:59:07 · answer #2 · answered by agent_9009 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It does sound like a cockroach - however, there are also other large beetle type insects that it could have been. Without having a professional look at it, you may never know. However, I would take precautions in case it was, such as putting out roach traps. That not only kills the roach that eats it, but it carries it back to the nest and kills the others, since they are cannibals - they eat their own dead. Ewww, I know - gross, but true. So, the best thing you can do if you don't still have the bug to get it identified is to take precautions because once they get in - it's almost impossible to get them out. Also, be sure to not leave any food open in your cupboards or on the counter and wipe your counters as often as you can to remove food. Good luck.
2006-10-08 18:11:13 · answer #3 · answered by Shadowtwinchaos 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh yuck!!
I saw something HUGE that fit that description about this time of year a few years back crawling around the stands when I went to my first and only CFL football game. They didn't seem able to fly either (Thank GOD!!!!)
I've heard of big cockroaches in like Florida and stuff but I've sure never seen them outdoors (or anywhere for that matter) in Canada!! I don't know what it was, but there were a few of them.
I was SOOOO grossed out by it. I didn't want to be there in the first place (tickets were free) and outdoor night games in October are no fun at all in Winnipeg!! I was trying to ignore it and then it was gone!!! I think it fell into the purse of the woman sitting in front of me. I was too shy to tap her on the shoulder and tell her what I thought happened. I still feel guilty to this day that I didn't tell her to check her bag.
P.S. That "salermious" thing must be spelled wrong or something... I looked it up and there's no such thing.
2006-10-09 11:33:57 · answer #4 · answered by Poopsie-Daisy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its a cockroach alright for by what you describe can't be anything else,they are hardy and Raid will not kill immediately-I'd be real serious about spraying apt or house by all entrance areas,window sills and check if crack by light fixture. If you have pets forget spray except if cracks in ceiling or where no way paet can get to it. Instead place Roach Motels also block pets.put where can't get to ,inside kitchen cabinets,esp under sink,pantries where food, bathroom under sink-like damp dark areas-also make sure all food spill,crumbs wiped up for if nothing to eat will not come. They work
2006-10-08 18:06:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
as with any animal-there are hundreds of different species of roaches; that said- there is no specific size or look of a roach- many different kinds- this may have been another unknown species to you . ask a local exterminator-theyshouldknow all the speices in the Chicago area. i don't know what species lives near the lakes- im from Houston- and here there are fairly big roaches aswell but they are mainly found in garages/sheds. hey- it could be mutant hybrid giant beetle roach. if such a thing exsists......There are HUGE roaches in parts of Africa though-maybe yours was an immigrant.....lol.
2006-10-08 18:16:45 · answer #6 · answered by primordial_primate45 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like a cockroach, but where did it get the steroids from. It also may have been someones pet. I know here in Australia we have really huge ones and they are sometiems kept as pets. If you have a department of agriculture, you should ring them and let them know if you still have it. They may want to see it. You may have found a new species. Who knows.
2006-10-08 18:02:59 · answer #7 · answered by hugabye 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have no idea, but I found one that almost exactly fits that description. It was black, about 5 inches long and the same width. It looked like it had pinchers on front.
Also in the NorthEast... in the upper peninsula of Michigan (Marquette to be exact) ... it was just walking around on the sidewalk.
I never did bother looking it up, but it was very cool :)
Should have kept it and taken it to a university... I'm sure they could have told you what it was.
2006-10-08 17:56:48 · answer #8 · answered by iswd1 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
very well could've been a waterbug which are 5-6 times larger than a normal lil cockroach and I see em often in the deserts.. but either way there ugly and look like you could saddle em and ride off into the sunset
2006-10-08 18:03:41 · answer #9 · answered by myspace junkie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are all different types of cockroaches(it grosses me out just to type it!) But some can get beastly huge. Cockroaches can live up to 9 days (I am not kidding) without their heads before starving to death.
2006-10-08 18:03:29 · answer #10 · answered by fat_bottom_girls_rock 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like a cockroach
2006-10-08 17:56:24 · answer #11 · answered by aliciarox 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋