why me? why oh why do they always choose me?
i just found this nasty little sucker in the bathroom. well not this exact dude, but his little brother (only by a little). i found this picture online at whatsthatbug.com. i wanted to make sure i wouldn't have to rush someone to the hospital if they got stung or bit or whatever these things do.
i couldn't work up enough courage to step on him, so i just set the garbage can on top of him, made sure he couldn't get out and then i left a posty note on the door warning who ever was going to go in there next either to not move the garbage can or bring a frying pan or something in there with you.
ew! ew! ew! ew! ew! i am soooo creeped out!
oh this is reassuring...
First off, Centipedes are not insects as they have more than 6 legs. That is just the most obvious difference. Your centipede is a Giant Red Headed Centipede, Scolopendra heros. Though your photo shows the classic color variation of this species, there are many other color forms depicted on BugGuide. Like other centipedes, the Giant Red Headed Centipede does have a venomous bite, and the bite is reported to be quite painful. That said, it is not an aggressive species, unless you are small enough to be food. Food can consist of small vertibrates including reptiles, amphibians and rodents. We do not consider this to be a harmful species, but it is a formidible predator that will bite a person who disturbs it. (from http://www.whatsthatbug.com/cent_2.html)
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pass it on!!!