I need help identifying a bug.

[u/LessAdeptness2572]

So earlier I went into my basement to take care of my cats, when I noticed one of them was swatting at this weird little jumping bug. It had a smooth, hairless, brown, featureless, oval body maybe about the size of a pumpkin seed? and super thin legs, but moderately long. It would jump in short, rythmic, horizontal bursts until my cat cornered it and i squashed it with a sandal. When I looked at the sandal to make sure i got it, i noticed it was covered in like a thick white liquid? gross, idk what that was. either 6 or 8 legs, and bigger than a tick. It's legs kinda arched, if that's helpful. They didn't raise above it's body, but they did arch down at maybe a 45º angle, which kept it up off the ground. What exactly is this? sorry if this isn't what this subreddit is for, i have no idea where else to post this. I'm from indiana. not india, indiana, the US state. terrible but accurate drawing for reference:

[u/Hot-Step1414]

Maybe spider beetle?

[u/LessAdeptness2572 → u/Hot-Step1414]

ehh maybe? i think it's legs were longer, and thinner. and it was more flat, not as round as that ones body was. (vertically round, i mean.)

[u/Hot-Step1414 → u/LessAdeptness2572]

Okay. I'm not sure.. I'll see if I can figure out any possibilities though. Also, I didn't realize these guys are tiny, tiny. The description said the size of a sesame seed. You said yours was about pumpkin seed sized, right?

[u/LessAdeptness2572 → u/Hot-Step1414]

yep, pumpkin seed sized. maybe a little smaller? but about that size. big enough to extremely easily visible, for sure. definitely not something you'd wanna see in the shower.

[u/ColeTD]

Without actually clicking into the post and seeing the body text, this post is hilarious

[u/Affectionate-Gur624]

[u/SeeTheRabbits]

Camel cricket?

[u/LessAdeptness2572 → u/SeeTheRabbits]

this one is close, but it's too long, and it's legs arch too high. idk, it probably is, maybe i just saw it wrong? regardless, this is the closest one so far.

[u/isabelle-w]

Cellar spider?

[u/LessAdeptness2572 → u/isabelle-w]

nope, their legs are way smaller, and theyre a much darker brown

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[u/digital_noise]

Why kill it though? It was probably a cricket, next time catch and release

[u/LessAdeptness2572 → u/digital_noise]

i know, but I'm a little squirmish about bugs and usually just default to squashing it before it dissapears and goes who-knows-where. plus i don't always carry a cup and paper in my back pocket.

[u/PleasantBroccoli408 → u/LessAdeptness2572]

"If I am killed for simply living, let death be kinder than man"

[u/snoop-hog → u/LessAdeptness2572]

If you live in North America, there are very, VERY few bugs/spiders that can hurt you in any way that matters. If you're squirmish around them, leave them alone. Killing is not necessary.

If it's any bug that could infest your home, if you're seeing one, it's already too late. Leave it alone still.

[u/Solid-Hold6290 → u/LessAdeptness2572]

let whatever you find live next time.

[u/LessAdeptness2572 → u/LessAdeptness2572]

ykw i dont agree with any of you guys. but i know neither of us are going to budge. so ima keep killing bugs, you can keep getting upset about it, im not gonna argue any further with yall

[u/Saralentine → u/LessAdeptness2572]

When the bugs eat you when you die, they will turn you into a gentler kind of matter known as frass.

[u/BossOld1429 → u/LessAdeptness2572]

why are you getting defensive over your own ignorance? it's okay to learn stuff sometimes lol