SO ARE THERE MAGPIE CRICKETS?

I don't think I've ever seen a magpie. Maybe at some zoo bird house. But it didn't make much of an impression on me. I knew a guy in high school they called Magpie. Ditto.
But I think I have a magpie cricket in a bookcase.

We have several geckos who adorn our back porch at night. I'll check about twice a week, nightly when the grandkids are here. One time we counted 11 on the underbelly of our back porch ceiling. Lately I've been finding some on our small covering, I wouldn't call it a front porch, outside our front door.

Some just sit there, hiding in the light. Some are scared and dart out of sight. Still others start to run until they stop and see no harm. I get more in the garage. Sometimes I'll find a little guy in the house. And I need one now.

You see they are supposed to feast on crickets. But a huge one has gotten by. And took up residence in one of my bookcases. He is so loud at night. When I first heard him I thought it was a smoke detector going off. No, that's not right. That's too loud. Maybe an alarm clock going off.

I turned on a hall light and he stopped immediately. It happened for a few nights the same way. Genius that I am, no that's not right either. Creatively, I thought, "Leave the light on." Didn't work. So now I have to tap the side of the bookcase to let him know I know where he is, but can't figure out what to do about him yet.

I have plenty of books. And I'd probably let him eat some. Had I not thrown away The daVinci Code, I'd have him start there. Somebody once gave my wife a Geraldine Ferraro book. That'd be number 2. But I'd take him outside to eat. His noise wouldn't be the main reason--I think either of those might just give the little gecko avoider indigestion.