Calling any budding entomologists (It's about 2.5-3 inches long)

[Basil]

This was dead on my son's sidewalk. Anyone have a clue what this ugly critter is?

 

[NutmegCT]

Wow - haven't seen one of those since I was a kid (yeah, I know ... centuries ago ...). We called them "vinegaroons". It's often called a "whip scorpion":

Basil's vinegaroon has lost some of its parts, poor critter. When angered, it squirts a nasty liquid very like vinegar. (Don't make it angry ...)

 

[Basil]

I just KNEW you would know! Thanks!

(Don't make it angry ...)

I wouldn't dream of it - unless jumping up on a chair and screaming like a little girl makes them angry

 

[Basil]

From a Texas A&M Bug web site: "Considered non-poisonous but they can pinch; capable of spraying a mist from scent glands at the base of the tail when disturbed. The mist produced by our species contains 85% concentrated acetic acid or vinegar, hence the name “vinegaroon.”"

 

[pdplot]

We now have these horrible invasive Camel Crickets coming up from the cellar. They look like a grasshopper made out of spare parts with long feelers. When you go after them, they jump up at your face. My wife loves that - I can hear her scream from a mile away. I spray them with all-purpose cleaner and it kills them after a short time. But they smell when they decay. Nasty critters.

 

[Basil]

We now have these horrible invasive Camel Crickets coming up from the cellar. They look like a grasshopper made out of spare parts with long feelers.

Oh yes, I've seen those. Agree - nasty and weird looking critters.

 

[equiprx]

I rarely harm insects around the house except mosquitoes, earwigs and moths.
Sometimes I even feed them to the spiders.
What I found that is least harmful environmentally short of stepping on them is Windex.