What's in the grass 😥

[Sunkist12]

Interested in a house a few streets away, the house has been empty for around a year and such the house is in abit of a mess. Mainly, largely (putting it midly) overgrown grass that has surrounded the entire entrance to the house. Anyway, fancied a snoop through the window before I called the agent, so approached the steps leading up- this means I'd have to tackle jumaji style grass to take a look. As I walked up the steps, I heard a rattle, think baby rattle sound. So, looked to the NDN thinking the sprinkler was on, nope... pretty quiet. Walked up another step and the rattle out of the grass was even louder. Shouted DP over to check it out ( mainly push him to go first- so that whatever it was got him first 😄) he freaked and ran back to the car. Aibu to tell the agent that whatever owns the grass now owns the house? Please give me a rational explanation as to what this was and not escaped imported rattle snakes?! I couldn't have ran away faster.

*jumanji typos!

Was it not just a cricket/grasshopper?

Crickets? Loads of them together can sound like rattling

Are you sure it wasn't a cricket? Very noisy in the hot weather. They don't sound like the American ones on the films. Look up cricket species in your region and see do they sound like it.

I did think that at first, but didn't sound like a usual cricket sound.

Cockchafer beetle? They're more like a very loud hum/drone but I've heard them sound like rattling before.

Do tell the agent or ring the RSPCA, just in case. There has been at least one rattlesnake found in the UK, as people import them illegally.

I think I mean grasshopper rather than cricket, never very good at knowing the difference

Too late in the year for cockchafers. It will be grasshoppers, some special can make quite the racket!

Either way, only way I'd venture back through is with an extendable weed wacker and the agent going in first!

Sciurus That's good to know! They are cute but they're also so annoying 😂

Am I the only one laughing at cockchafers?

I think it's most likely a ghost with a passion for percussion.

There have been cases of escaped rattlesnakes surviving in the wild in the UK. I doubt they'd survive a British winter though. Sadly there's still a market for illegally imported venemous snakes.

Some birds, like barn owls, imitate a rattlesnake when they feel threatened. Unlikely an owl would be on the ground though.

I'd call the non emergency police number or RSPCA to come and investigate! A rattlesnake is a very distinctive sound.

RSPCA isn’t going to come. They prioritise injured animals, then stray animals, then noises from who knows what last.

I've just googled cockchafer (wondering what porn site it would take me to) - that's the cutest bug I've ever seen!

Quite possibly could be an adder, I've heard (and seen them) on Exmoor sounding like a mini rattlesnake.
It's rather unnerving!

Could it be a bird? Google Mistle Thrush rattle call and have a listen.

All snakes rattle their tails when threatened I think (at least my two did when they were small and feisty!), it’s just rattlesnakes have a tail that makes more noise, with other snakes it’ll sound more like a buzzing noise as the tail vibrates. I reckon it’s a cricket.

Wasn't expecting this when I googled cockchafer!!