# What is THIS?



## Heather (Sep 16, 2006)

I just found this in one of my humidity trays. 

It's dead (thank goodness), but I'm not sure it is even an insect. It could be a flower? It looks like it was once quite purple in color. 

Any ideas?


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## likespaphs (Sep 16, 2006)

my guess is a house centipede. they look similar to silverfish, but aren't....


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## kentuckiense (Sep 16, 2006)

Looks to be a Scutigera coleoptrata. They are an ancient outgroup to the modern centipedes/milipedes, I believe.

Edit: Oops, yeah. likespaphs got it. House centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata.


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## Heather (Sep 16, 2006)

Oh, dear god...


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Sep 16, 2006)

Nah, they're cute...and they probably eat the bugs you really don't want.........Eric


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## cdub (Sep 16, 2006)

Eric Muehlbauer said:


> ...probably eat the bugs ...



Yeah, probably. But maybe they prefer to crawl all over you while you're sleeping, wiggling their feelers all around!! oke:


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## lienluu (Sep 16, 2006)

They go in your ear when you're asleep.


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## Heather (Sep 16, 2006)

Why?? In heavens name, did I ask??? 

Here I was thinking it might have been something floral I had brushed against on the very floriforous street I just moved to! It was *pretty*!!??!?!?!!!

EWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!

Several of you know of my *complete and utter* fear of centipedes. 
I found, I think, two babies today as well, both alive. One on the floor and one in a tray. Both were very very small. And are now dead. I may very well have to move. 

Seriously. Please, I beg of you, please....how many of these might I expect to see? I am in an old building, and they are doing construction next door. The little ones I might be able to handle, if there are not thousands of them. If I were to see a live one the size of the dead one I found, I would scream bloody murder and faint on the spot. Now, I am terrified. I may never sleep again. 

If I disappear. You know why. Please send a rescue party...


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## cdub (Sep 16, 2006)

Well, John might be able to help. We know he prefers to end the lives of most multi-legged creatures, especially if they look at him.


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## Mahon (Sep 17, 2006)

...just found this for you Heather... hopefully you won't have any of these Centipedes around...

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/157649/centipede_eats_mouse/

(it's either the largest bug I have seen, or the smallest mouse I have seen...lol)

-Pat


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## kentuckiense (Sep 17, 2006)

Mahon said:


> ...just found this for you Heather... hopefully you won't have any of these Centipedes around...
> 
> http://www.metacafe.com/watch/157649/centipede_eats_mouse/
> 
> ...



That video is scary. I normally do well with arthropods, too!

There is another video like that of a centipede eating a bat. It's from a BBC David Attenborough documentary that I have around here somewhere...

Edit: HERE we go: http://youtube.com/watch?v=iV6ZDMBmTCg


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## Heather (Sep 17, 2006)

If either of you think I would actually WATCH either of those you are out of your mind. 

Lien, don't you dare to try to trick me into it either. 

None of you are taking my fear very seriously here! :sob:


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## Shadow (Sep 17, 2006)

I killed couple of centipedes in my own kitchen last year. They were about 7-8 centimeters long and there was no one around to help me. I was so afraid that I cried for couple of hours after that. It's unbelievable but my husband was laughing because he didn't take serious my fear and thought I was just pretending. :sob: 

Heather, keep the broom next to you.


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## SlipperFan (Sep 17, 2006)

They are startling critters, but they do eat bugs.


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## NYEric (Sep 18, 2006)

Nah, don't worry about a thing it's just a little flower.. Anyway something that small without a stinger really can't hurt you too much. Anywhere that has water will attract insects. If these are in your growing area they're also in your tub piping. Sorry.


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## Marco (Sep 19, 2006)

Nasty, that mouse one gives me the willies. And the bug eats bat idea is pretty wierd.

Here's one of a preying mantis catching a hummingbird. It's not a video though.

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyardbirds/hummingbirds/mantis-hummer.aspx


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## Drorchid (Sep 19, 2006)

Heather, 

You also need to know that the house centipede can bite. It has a slightly toxic bite, nothing deadly or to be worried about, but it will probably leave a welt bigger than a mosquito bite. 

-Jason using Robert's ID


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## Heather (Sep 20, 2006)

Drorchid said:


> Heather,
> 
> You also need to know that the house centipede can bite. It has a slightly toxic bite, nothing deadly or to be worried about, but it will probably leave a welt bigger than a mosquito bite.
> 
> -Jason using Robert's ID



Yeah, I read that on this scary web site: 
http://www.math.umd.edu/~schris/scutigera.shtml

Google was not my friend the other day. Thankfully, I have yet to see any more of these around. Knock-on-wood.


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## kentuckiense (Sep 20, 2006)

Heather said:


> Thankfully, I have yet to see any more of these around. Knock-on-wood.



That's because they all went in your ears, duh!


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## Heather (Sep 20, 2006)

Oh Zachary, you are a mean boy!


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## lienluu (Sep 29, 2006)

I have one too!!


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## Heather (Sep 29, 2006)

Gosh, we are all so blessed.


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## Mahon (Sep 29, 2006)

I just found one of these house centipedes on one of my _Paphiopedilum_ flowers this morning (I never saw one before)... I thought they were going to be huge, but they are no longer than a single centimeter... luckily, I was not snatched up by the centipede, like the mouse and bat were... =)

-Pat


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## Heather (Sep 29, 2006)

Mahon said:


> I just found one of these house centipedes on one of my _Paphiopedilum_ flowers this morning (I never saw one before)... I thought they were going to be huge, but they are no longer than a single centimeter... luckily, I was not snatched up by the centipede, like the mouse and bat were... =)
> 
> -Pat



They can be larger. I have seen three very small ones, but the one I posted the photo of was an inch across. Don't be fooled. They are scary, dude.


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## Rick (Sep 29, 2006)

Heather said:


> EWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!
> 
> Several of you know of my *complete and utter* fear of centipedes.


:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:


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## likespaphs (Sep 30, 2006)

dang, i just found a few too!:crazy:


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## lienluu (Sep 30, 2006)

Poor bugs, they are dying all over the place


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## Heather (Sep 30, 2006)

Yippeee!!!


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## Shadow (Sep 30, 2006)

Centipede epidemic among paph addicted people?


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## likespaphs (Sep 30, 2006)

(y'all realize i just reposted yer pictures, right?oke: )
i haven't seen one of those in months...though, i do see them occasionally at a friend's house


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## Shadow (Sep 30, 2006)

likespaphs said:


> (y'all realize i just reposted yer pictures, right?oke: )
> i haven't seen one of those in months...though, i do see them occasionally at a friend's house



I thought your centipede was so small that you couldn't find it to make your own photo. oke: 

So, it's you who brings the nice wrapped package full of centipedes to your friend's home, just to keep him busy? oke:


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## Heather (Sep 30, 2006)

likespaphs said:


> (y'all realize i just reposted yer pictures, right?oke: )



Yes, and I don't appreciate this sort of torture, Brian.


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## likespaphs (Sep 30, 2006)

Heather said:


> Yes, and I don't appreciate this sort of torture, Brian.



it's not torture, it's poking fun....oke: (see?)


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