Camel Crickets and Ferret Sales

Since before I moved into my house this spring, I've known it was popular with camel crickets. Unfortunately, despite their harmless ways, they are some of my least favorite bugs. I figured that once I moved in and cleaned up a little, they would go away. They like things to be damp and dark, two things my house is not. But even now, months later, I still find at least one cricket a month. Often they're lurking under the bottom edge of my kitchen cabinets or hopping around in my living room. On several distressing occasions I've found them in my bedroom.

Last night I trapped one under a plastic cup in my kitchen. I keep some cups under the sink for such times. If I find them at night, I usually let them sit under the cup overnight and think about what they've done since it's too cold and dark to go out on the patio and release them. So I left Mr. Leggy under his punishment dome and hopped on the exercise bike in my living room. After pedalling for ten minutes or so I saw a cricket come creeping out from behind the love seat. This is the scene that followed:

I jumped up, screaming, "Mama!" and then, "This is highly unacceptable!"

I ran to the kitchen and checked to make sure Mr. Leggy hadn't escaped. Sure enough, he was still in time-out.

I grabbed yet another bug cup from under the sink (Yes, I have several. Is that weird?) and proceeded to go after Mr. Bigger and Leggier.

Knowing that these monsters jump TOWARD you when startled, I snuck up behind him and started slamming the cup down. It took several tries and in the process I severed one of his large hind legs.

I made an executive decision and smashed him to death with the cup. If he had just been cooperative like so many others, I would have kept him in solitary overnight and then freed him the next day, but no.