Vinegaroon

This is a vinegaroon. Their defense mechanism is they spray something that smells like vinegar with their long whipping tail. EXACTLY like vinegar. And this is what greeted me when I came home from "visiting teaching" the other week (see "The Breakup"). It was right above the front door. Long ago the Anasazi Indians believed that if you returned from your travels and found a vinegaroon in your path at home it was a sign of good fortune and safe keeping. Vinegar preserves things and so your family and possessions would also be well "preserved."
Ok I just totally made that up. For me to come home and be greeted by this LARGE beast... um... I was not too excited about it. And I was not about to walk through the front door and under him waiting to pounce on me. They are actually very docile. They eat bugs and will leave you alone. Unless of course you are trying to catch it and get it out of your bathroom. Then they will spray you with their vinegar. And how do I know this? The first time I ever saw one of these horrifying creatures I thought it was a huge black scorpion (a very common mistake made by most people). I had never heard of a vinegaroon before. I was SCREAMING for Jason to come save me. He came skipping down the hall pretending to scream like a girl- making fun of me. I was standing on top of the toilet (I think on top of the tank itself if I remember) and when Jason came into the bathroom.. the screaming like a girl was no longer an act! Oh the memories. It makes me laugh EVERY time I think about it. It was so worth sharing my bathroom with a vinegaroon to see Jason scream and jump like he did that night.

Here is my knight in shining armour's photos with the sharpie for scale. The vinegaroon was on the stuccoed wall right above our front door. We had to hold up the marker and Jason had to really reach up close to him to get the shots just right. Yes, we have both gotten braver since our first meeting that night in the bathroom.