What is THIS?

[Heather]

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?

 

[likespaphs]

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

 

[kentuckiense]

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.

 

[Heather]

Oh, dear god...

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

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

 

[cdub]

...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:

 

[lienluu]

They go in your ear when you're asleep.

 

[Heather]

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...

 

[cdub]

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.

 

[Mahon]

...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

 

[kentuckiense]

...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

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

 

[Heather]

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:

 

[Shadow]

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.

 

[SlipperFan]

They are startling critters, but they do eat bugs.

 

[NYEric]

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.

 

[Marco]

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

 

[Drorchid]

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

 

[Heather]

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.

 

[kentuckiense]

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

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

 

[Heather]

Oh Zachary, you are a mean boy!