I fell asleep reading Jerry Dennis’s Heart of the Great Lakes—it’s lively, but I’m not—and woke up befuddled and buzzing. Wait, wait . . . the buzzing was outside my head. The Cowboy was staring at the wall with a bemused expression. GACK! This fellow was on the wall. A good two inches long and very alert. Naturally I grabbed the camera.
FLASH! My papparazzi act startled him, and he tumbled off the wall and onto my pillow.
This was altogether too much. I took one more picture, then carried pillow and beetle outside and flapped until he disappeared. It was my own fault. I’d fallen asleep with the door to the deck wide open. I’m lucky I didn’t wake up with a raccoon staring at me.
At first I thought he was a cricket, but I looked him up. He’s nothing like a cricket. He’s a beetle. I’m betting on either Ergates spiculatus or Prionus californicus but don’t take my word for it. I’m busy caulking. Mama Nature will have her little jokes.
Torch Lake Views 
Leslie
August 4, 2009
My cats, strictly indoors pusses, would have loved that!
They only get to hunt occasional spiders and summer flies that have got in.
They will watch an ant on the floor until I rescue it, for ages!
Gerry
August 4, 2009
I know what you mean. Miss Puss is very fond of chasing things that are smaller than she is. The night the tree frogs got in was pure bliss . . . for her. But that’s another post.
centria
August 4, 2009
I like your beetle. Truly. It would have been a bit more fascinating if that raccoon came in, but the beetle is intriguing enough. Close the door tonight! We’ve been smelling skunks. That might not be a friendly presence to wander in your house.
Gerry
August 4, 2009
GACK!!
La Mirada Bob
August 5, 2009
This California Reader did NOT have anything to do with something called “Prionus californicus”.
Gerry
August 5, 2009
I believe you. But the Cowboy is suspicious.