They only come out at night! *pic*

[Removed_2815]

The dreaded Scutigera coleoptrata.
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/3145Centipede.JPG
This is just a common house-hold guest that most people do not have the fortune of viewing (owing to their extreme nocturnal habits). It is a centipede (a myriapod of the order Chilopoda) and is a predacious little devil, feeding on other arthropods. In my opinion, it is a harmless and beneficial organism, akin to the arachnids that rid our houses of other less-than-desireable creatures.
Enjoy!
Ryan

[Tim and Julie B]

ok I never even have heard of those before. They are friggin weird! How cool!

[Abstrakt]

sorry but i think that crap is disgusting. I'll stick to my corn snakes thanks.

[sapphire_moon]

Centipede? I've NEVER seen a centipede look like that! It looks like a cross between a cricket, spider, and a catapillar.......thats creepy looking, if I seen that thing in my house I would freak out!

[Colonel SB]

KIller those things are so cool.

[Jungle Jen]

Awesome photography, fascinating critter,.......oh god the nightmares I am gonna have tonight! (Yes I am a bit phobic of bugs of the household variety.)

[Removed_2815]

sorry but i think that crap is disgusting
To each his own I suppose......
I'll stick to my corn snakes thanks
You might be better suited to the E. guttata forum, this is photography discussion :)
Cheers.

[jay76]

Thanks RMBolton! I knew they were centipedes, but not the name. One run across my foot one morning when I turned on the washroom light to... ahh.... brush my teeth. Cats find them tasty too... :)

[Removed_2815]

Jay76,
I have noticed that an abundance of Canadian's have come across these little centipedes. They are native to Mexico but have found an unoccupied niche in American and Canadian homes, in fact, they are one of very few organisms that live their entire life cycle inside a human dwelling (they are the only centipede with this title). Their common name is House Centipede and you would be hard pressed to find a home without a nice little Scutigera coleoptrata family downstairs. Again, I should stress that they are harmless and are a beneficial organism in our dwellings (ridding houses of flies, ear-wigs, termites, etc).
Here are some close-ups:
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/3145close_up.JPG
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/3145face.JPG
Isn't she darling?
Cheers,
Ryan

[Kyle Barker]

damn! They would eb welcome in my home! I would love to keep a couple... Are they out west???

[marisa]

Those are outstanding photos and information, but I must say I would rather pretend you took that shot somewhere far far away. The thought of that thing being around scares the crap outta me! haha

Marisa

[ChunkyMunky]

I hate those things, i always see them run across the floor in my house really fast, they creep me out. Nice pics.

[Siretsap]

I use to ind some when I was digging the drench on the side of the house. THey would be hiding betwen the wall and the earth. Creepy little buggers.

[liltattyprinces]

we get them occaisonally in our apt they freak me out i had one in my shoe one time ohhh the screams as it ran up my leg. I don't really mind them as long as i see them first and they don't suprise me.... BTW that is a really cool pic

[Stockwell]

Gorgeous beasties!!!! Yup, I've seen quite a few of them, but only in the last decade.I don't remember seeing those as a child, so just when did they get their visa, or are they illegal aliens?
They move like greased lightning!
So Ryan, lets start a captive breeding programme, or maybe as you point out, we already are. I think I'm free ranging them with my Phelsuma.
Maybe they're feeding on the escapee crickets.

As always, excellent Macro work Ryan!!!!

[BrandonVeenstra]

I've killed my fair share of those

[Yve]

i just got a wicked chill!!!!those things freak me out!!...a long time ago i was in the washroom and had just thrown some clothes on that were lying on the floor when ...all of the sudden....i felt something HEAVY on my arm.....chills, more chills, and then a few more!lol.....it was huge and my scream must of woke the dead!....ugh....bad memory!thanks!lol

[lolaophidia]

I used to live in a house that had them. UGH!!! They totally freaked me out. I had an exposed brick wall in my room and they would creep out at night and run out of cracks in the mortar. The only creature I know of that will make me scream if it gets on me. I try very hard to respect all living creatures (I actually like most spiders and other creepy crawlies) but those guys got smashed everytime I could find one. Sorry! Great photo though. Really gave me the willies.

[Clownfishie]

Yech! LOL... that's all I have to say... good pic though ;)

[PoiSoNouS]

they're many of those in my bathroom,
sometimes Im just laying on the couch and I hear my little cat in the bathroom like hes talking to something and when I get up to see to who hes talking too I see those little critters and my cat looks at me with his big blue eyes and just goes "meowwwww" like hes asking "WTF is that ?????"

they dont bug me as long as they stay in the bathroom lol ;)

[TheRedDragon]

Woah! Freaky! That's truely a neat looking centipede! :)

[daver676]

We have those things outside the apartment, and the first time they get seen, they get killed. Actually the other day, there was one in the shower. Scared the **** out of my gf, but she showed it who was boss.

Dave

[Solid Snake]

oh yea when u say harmless, you're wrong, have u ever picked up a house centipede before? They BITE!! and they have venom. But not enough to cill just makes u itchy.

[Tim and Julie B]

For god sakes are they everywhere out there someone send me some! TB

[Infectrix]

ooh gawd i hate house centipedes..!!!!:mad:

When used to live in this dorm, they terrorized me day and night..

They're too fast for their own good. Everytime I'd happen to see one, I'd break out the lighter and scotchguard.

At that time, it took me close to three months of spare time research to found out what the hell they were.

Back in those dorms I used to live in, I had an a$$ load of posters on my wall. Throughout the evening you can hear them zooming across the posters although alot of times they'd fall to the floor and disappear.

I've seen at least three of them in the aparment I live in now. They're gonna be there whether I like it or not 'cause I can't get rid of ALL the small insects and damp areas. But if I catch one patrolling for small insects in the wrong place at the wrong time, it's the lighter and scotchguard for the unlucky *******.

[Lisa]

Yuck. I think I have seen them in previous apts, specially in vancouver, good shots, but still YUCK.

[Removed_2815]

But not enough to cill just makes u itchy.
Hence, they are harmless..... All members of Chilopoda have venom.
Cheers,
RMB

[XxRachxX]

my masculine side is saying : "wow!! cool!! i want one!"
my feminine side is saying : "ew!! squish it!"
im giving into my feminine side.... EEWWW!!! me no likey!!! :: shudders::

[Vanan]

Someone send Tim a house centipede already! :D

[Sean_.E.]

Great pictures!

I have tonnes of them in my house. They really don't bother me. Actually I find them quite intriguing, all those legs, their speed and genral appearance. Whenever I see one (usually at least once a day) I just leave it be. Another interesting thing about them is that after they are squished (not by me) their legs twitch, even if it is completely separated from the body!

[lilyskip]

oh god. i haven't quite gotten to the stage where i think that insects or tarantulas or scorpions or anything are cool. eek. great shot though...very...detailed...