In Reply to: How to swat the bug???? posted by Kio on October 20, 2005 at 17:28:34:

The secret to bugs is to understand their movement.
1) Slow movement makes bugs walk backwards
2) Trapped or panicked bugs swim backwards by flipping their tail
3) Bugs can't swim backwards using their tail for very long
4) Bugs prefer to walk away backwards when they can

When you approach a bug, they will start walking backwards. The best way to get them is to keep your hands near your head. As you approach they will start to back away into their holes. When you are striking distance, move as fast as possible and swat them like you are punching someone.

Aim for the tail and you will catch the carapace.

Before I figured out to keep the hands near my head, I lost all the bugs. Now I get them 90% of the time during the day and about 99% of the time at night.

At night, wear a headlamp and use both your hands but keep your hands behind your head again.

Slow movement almost never works. The only time it works is when the bug is already deep in a hole. Fast movement will cause them to panic and possibly fly out. What you want to do is reach into the hole and feel around till you get a horn. The best way to tell if the bug is within reach is if the antenna is sticking out the hole even if it is walked all the way back.

Never pull the antenna, it will just break off. Work your fingers down slowly to the antenna base and once you get a hold of that, the bug is yours.

The bug will lock down tight so what you need to do is shake the antenna base up and down. You will disrupt the pebble of a brain and the bug will come loose. Shake the antenna up and down for about 10-30seconds then pull quickly and it should pop right out. Bigger bugs will lock down harder so you need to shake them more.

At night or for bugs in the open, use both hand and do the same technique of keeping your hands near your head and swat them down. If you use one hand, sometimes you lose it when the bug decides to switch direction.

Some bugs are stupid and if you shine a light in a hole they will walk out for a bit. So act quickly.

Hope this helps.