I don't know what this, it has to be some sort of alien species, seems to be attracted to ATF and coolant.

It has a very weird shaped head and I don't recall it having any eyes either.

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

Not to much to go on, kind of looks like a large mouse/small rat, but no eyes and kind of a cone shaped snout is a mole.

My bad, pics are up now

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

Need an entomologist for that one, never seen it's likes before.

Funny this is in the MB forum, but google "wheel bug" .

Wheel Bug: Assassin of the Insect World (Arilus cristatus)
??

yup, that's it, case closed

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

I've seen plenty of them in Missouri. Not so much in Kentucky.

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'82 300CD
"Pearl", the very first turbo diesel 123 coupe
Totaled 11/23/18, rebuild in progress.
'85 300TD, "Artemis".
'78 300D euro, "Ol' Red", mostly retired.
'85 300D, "Gandalf".

Lovely hearing the digestive design around how this bug takes its prey and disassemblies it for consumption ,a prolonged tube /digestive juices ,uge,Hope you never get this bug in your ear.

Does your apartment complex care about you working on your car there? As I recall you living in some kind of duplex setup. Off-topic, just curious.

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

This looks like one of those.

https://www.treehugger.com/animals/11-wondrous-facts-about-praying-mantises.html

My roommate in CA 25 years back came home and said he was bitten by one. Apparently it stuck that beak into his foot while he was walking in flip flops.

He was really upset. When I asked what bit him he said a “wheelbug”.

Now I know what it looks like. Ouch.

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79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

As far as I know, they don't care. I live in a townhome?

Landlord and maintenance man see me working on it on a daily basis, and all they've done was greet me "good morning, how are you doing today?"

Hope it stays that way.

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

wow, I thought they where harmless

__________________
1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

Maybe they can play defense.