Centipedes
-Folsom, California
Trust me, one thing you don’t want to see when you’re having a bad day … is a centipede. So small, yet so quick, the sight of one can cause a real disturbance in one’s peace of mind and terrify the rest of us. And it’s easy to see why. There are a lot of myths out there depicting Centipedes as dangerously poisonous insects. I mean let’s face it, with all those legs they are the ultimate creepy crawly. But can Centipedes really hurt you?
Here’s what I found out when I went looking for answers:
1. Centipedes are not dangerous to humans. This is due to the fact that Centipedes have weak jaws that can rarely penetrate human skin. Furthermore, the small amount of poison that they inject to paralyze their prey is not enough to cause more than a slight nuisance to humans.
2. Centipedes don’t usually invade homes in large numbers. You are more likely to find a single Centipede in your home, than a group of them. So don’t panic if you see one, he may have simply gotten lost!
3. Centipedes require humidity/moisture to thrive. Moisture problem areas are a common dwelling place for Centipedes. Basements, drains that are not frequently used, musty crawl spaces and the underside of stones or boards is where you may find them.
1. Centipedes kill & consume other insects. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Termites, Silverfish and Spiders are all tasty prey to the Centipede.
2. Centipedes are distant relatives of lobsters, crayfish and shrimp.
3. Centipedes are fast! With all those legs, they are quick off the blocks and will often run toward you rather than away.
4. Centipedes can live from 3-7 years.
5. Centipedes can lay 50-100 eggs at a time.
6. Centipedes like to hide. They spend days in dark places and hunt for small insect prey at night.
7. Centipedes have poison claws behind their head. They use these claws to paralyze their prey.
It’s completely understandable that most people would prefer not to lay eyes on a Centipede if they could help it. But now that you know how harmless they really are, you can breathe a little easier the next time you are accosted by a Centipede!
The moniker Centipede is derived from the latin prefix centi- (meaning hundred) and pedis- ( meaning foot). But despite the name, centipedes can have a varying number of legs from under 20 to over 300. ~wikipedia
A (little) Bit of Centipede Humor
What is worse than an alligator with a toothache?
A centipede with athlete’s foot!
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