Hodags

[Hectosaucer]

I remember reading about these folklore creatures, native to Wisconsin, in an old library book back in 2nd or 3rd grade, and since then it always been one of my favorite cryptid animals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodag

I even went so far as to go searching for it while on a camping trip as a kid.

Though it probably didn't exist, some folk legends have truth to them, right?

[Dumpnuts]

It's cool to learn about these little localized myths. I doubt there is any truth to it however after reading the origins of the lore. It seems like a would-be P. T. Barnum attempted to cash-in on his own Fiji Mermaid. Then Rhinelander decided make some tourism bucks off of the whole deal. It is interesting to learn the history of little things like this.

[PlanB]

Sounds like something you'd be slapped for if you called a lady that.

[Dumpnuts]

Sounds like something you'd be slapped for if you called a lady that.

Shut up Hodags! I know it!

[+DieChecker]

I guess there must be people from Wisconsin living in Oregon, because the Hodag is part of the Oregon mythic critter loggers lore also.

There is even a tree planting tool that is called a hoedad, which many around here call a hodag instead.

[Hectosaucer]

The Monster Spotter's Guide by Scott Francis is a fun book that features the Hodag as well as a plethora of other obscure folkloric monsters.

[Rafterman]

Proof!

[WoIverine]

We have a local cryptid, well...sort of, it's called the "Palmetto Bug". It's a giant cochroach that is 2-3 times larger than the standard household cochroach, and these "Palmetto Bugs" can fly, hit you in the face, knock you off a bike, etc. I've had firsthand experience with those a few times.

My grandma used to tell me about them, I thought it was BS until I did some reasearch a few years ago. They're called "Woods Cochroach", and they're armored...resistant to many pesticides, they're one tough hombre, haha.

Edited March 4, 2014 by WoIverine

[Ravinoff]

Heh, the old American folklore monsters are the best. Check out some of the other ones here, they're hilarious.

[Rafterman]

We have a local cryptid, well...sort of, it's called the "Palmetto Bug". It's a giant cochroach that is 2-3 times larger than the standard household cochroach, and these "Palmetto Bugs" can fly, hit you in the face, knock you off a bike, etc. I've had firsthand experience with those a few times.

My grandma used to tell me about them, I thought it was BS until I did some reasearch a few years ago. They're called "Woods Cochroach", and they're armored...resistant to many pesticides, they're one tough hombre, haha.

I don't think that really rises to the level of cryptid does it? I always just called them tree roaches. I think I first heard the Palmetto Bug moniker in college and it was explained as a "nice" way to say you have roaches. Kind of like how women don't sweat, they glisten.

[WoIverine]

I don't think that really rises to the level of cryptid does it? I always just called them tree roaches. I think I first heard the Palmetto Bug moniker in college and it was explained as a "nice" way to say you have roaches. Kind of like how women don't sweat, they glisten.

Yeah, true, not a cryptid by nature. But the local moniker somewhat applies. I had never heard "palmetto bug" anywhere else lol.

[+OverSword]

Had to kill it with dynamite. Sounds like you could make a great cheesey movie out of that story.

[coldethyl]

Ugh when I used to live in Florida Palmetto bugs scared the life out of me. Chupacabra and Bigfoot left me the hell alone, so I guess that's why I am more afraid of bugs.

[Hectosaucer]

Interesting. Sound like some locusts I've encountered.

[eaglesareskykittens]

Palmetto bugs are terrifying, amazing, but terrifying. And yeah dynamite is required, or a cat.

Edited March 5, 2014 by eaglesareskykittens

[PlanB]

While visiting my cousins in Georgia, a "palmetto bug" flew through a window that they had left open and landed on my resting arm. Pretty much the most terrifying thing that can happen to you in the middle of a dark night short of a succubus attack or alien probing. I instinctively screamed, and flung it against the wall about 15 feet away. In the morning, I found it dead, it had enough mass to be crushed by my flinging it away. Any other bug would've just landed with Spider-Man-like agility and vertically scurried away. But not this behemoth, it was like pitching a kitten against a wall.

Slightly back on topic, the hodag reminds me of jackalopes in the southern US. Taxidermied creations of rabbits with antlers. Much cuter though.

[Hectosaucer]

I've heard of jackalopes before, funny critters. Obviously not real though.

Also I seem to vaguely recall another folkloric animal that had telescopic legs.

[eaglesareskykittens]

I went as a photographer on a trip to South Dakota once, I remember how all the locals would tease us tourist about the Jackalopes. They would tell stories about them and proclaim their existence, they always had a smirk on their face when they did though. By the way Hectosaucer do you remember anything else about the creature with telescopic legs? Sounds interesting.

[Billyf]

We have a local cryptid, well...sort of, it's called the "Palmetto Bug". It's a giant cochroach that is 2-3 times larger than the standard household cochroach, and these "Palmetto Bugs" can fly, hit you in the face, knock you off a bike, etc. I've had firsthand experience with those a few times.

My grandma used to tell me about them, I thought it was BS until I did some reasearch a few years ago. They're called "Woods Cochroach", and they're armored...resistant to many pesticides, they're one tough hombre, haha.

if you think they'r bad you should look up helgramites and dobson flys. a helgramite is a baby dobson fly....they are just about the scariest bugs ever.