Made a horrible mistake

[Carolyn]

I made one of the worst mistakes an experienced gardener can ever make. I brought a plant indoors without inspecting it first. Actually it was a rock that has Christmas ferns growing all over it. My sis-in-law had picked it up from a stream bed on a rock hunting expedition. She didn't have a place for it and was worried it would die so I accepted it and brought it INTO my house. Little did I know it had hiding holes in the bottom and was full of those ugly camel crickets. I have killed almost a dozen of them, one as recent as last Friday evening. UGH. I took it out as soon as I realized what was happening but I may have to get an exterminator here if I see any more. PLUS I have killed nearly a dozen wasps in my attic in the last couple of weeks. I've seen more bugs in my house in the last few weeks than I have seen in the last few years...except for the never ending ladybugs and seasonal ants. I hope I never forget this lesson!

 

[marlingardener]

Oh, Carolyn, what a shame! At least your ghastly experience has saved other gardeners from doing the same and we have profited by your mistake.
I even isolate plants from the nursery before I bring them in, or plant them in the garden. Not only bugs but some diseases can be harbored by plants.
Hope you don't need an exterminator.

 

[Pat]

Sorry to hear about your bug problem. I always but new plants that have been out side in a large black bag spray the inside with bug spray and close the top with a twister for a few days to kill what ever maybe inside the soil or on the pot.

 

[zigs]

You could open up as a bug farm and charge folk admission

 

[Mockingbird]

I . Little did I know it had hiding holes in the bottom and was full of those ugly camel crickets.!

EWH,, Yes try to get those little buggers out, they will eat your carpet or any other wood based thing they can get into. As a kid we were always told that a cricket in the house was a sign of good luck, well not those kind of crickets. If you see where they are you can use duct tape, just place it sticky side up and they get stuck in it. If that don't work try a bowl with soapy water even though they are an insect they do drink water. Good Luck!

 

[Carolyn]

Lol, I did make a duct tape trap but didn't catch anything. My hubby sprayed like crazy and I think we got them. If not, I might try the charging admission method so I can pay for the exterminator.

 

[kevinkimers]

That is a tragedy. You should always "look before you leap". Oh well, lesson learned. At least is was only crickets and not some type of poisonous bug or something.

 

[claudine]

I'm sorry to hear that, Carolyn What an awful surprise! I can imagine how you felt. Camel crickets are scary creatures, because they look almost like spiders. I'm terrified of most insects, so I always inspect new plants very carefully.

 

[Primalclaws1974]

You must be somewhere warm, like Florida, if you are still seeing bugs in December. I have made this mistake as well. I have introduced varieties of ants, termites, worms, and box elders in this way. I may have to look up your cricket, I don't know it by name. But, my I ask why you are so repulsed by crickets? The large black ones sometimes get into basements around here, and the only they do is annoy the heck out of people with the chirping.