Holy freaking bug!

BarelyBreathing · 10-10-12, 11:40 PM

I didn't even know they had these around here. My husband found this SEVEN INCH tiger centipede dead in our pond near Denver, Colorado.

Rogue628 · 10-10-12, 11:49 PM

Now I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight lol I knew I shouldn't have clicked on the thread! lol

I thought it was going to be something a little less creepy and a lot more cooler, maybe like a spider lol

BarelyBreathing · 10-10-12, 11:53 PM

Centipedes are my downfall. It was dead, and I still screamed loudly when hubby touched it.

Rogue628 · 10-11-12, 12:01 AM

I used to say, "if it has more than four legs I don't want anything to do with it". Since I've had my tarantula, I've been a bit more lax in that. But centipedes and millipedes still creep me out. I'm trying to be more 'bug' friendly, but I don't think I could be anywhere near calm even with a dead one! lol

Kaetlinv · 10-11-12, 12:08 AM

Centipedes....definitely dangerous beauties. With a powerful bite. Ouch.Hope there arent too many more around you.

AjaMichelle · 10-11-12, 12:11 AM

That's crazy!!!

BarelyBreathing · 10-11-12, 12:19 AM

Millipedes are fine in my book. I even enjoy them. Centipedes, no. Not for me.

Rogue628 · 10-11-12, 12:29 AM

I had to go research the basic differences between them. I'm one of those people that just put them in the same class of creepy....they both have many legs and just look creepy! lol

Still not sure if I can tell them apart on site, mainly because I doubt I'd hang around long enough to get a good enough look! lol However, this thread has given me a bit of new knowledge about the difference between them. I still don't want near either though

Kaetlinv · 10-11-12, 11:41 AM

Now i'm not an expert or an entomologist, but I do know my way around some bugs.

All this information may not be correct, but these are a few clear distinctions between millipedes and centipedes.

Millipedes have more legs, generally held in 'pairs' when they walk, generally have 'round top' bodies (think round like a straw), and will ball up when threatened (I believe) or secrete some nasty smelling stuff to try and scare you off. I'm pretty sure that most millipedes are very dark in color, though there are some bright ones and some with striking color patterns. They also dont move very fast in comparison to centipedes (as i've come to experience).

Centipedes have LARGE antennae at their head (and also what look like antennae at their other end, view the pic of that one up there to see what I mean, lol), large biting pincers which are usually tucked by their head, and the legs increase in length the farther down the body they are (to avoid hitting the leg in front of it), centipedes are pretty bright in coloration as well.

In short, if it's got a round body and around a million tiny little legs that all look the same, it's probably a millipede (especially if it balls up!).

If it's got two sets of antennae, one at each end, and thick long legs, it's probably a centipede.

I had my first encounter with centipedes this past summer - was moving wood around and stacking it with my soon-to-be step-dad and kept finding a bunch of 3 inch long (albeit they were skinny and ran away) baby centipedes. Scared the bajeebas out of me because I know centipedes can deliver a nasty bite! there were also a bunch of spider egg nests and spiders and at one point I gave up and told Aaron I was sorry, I couldn't go any more, too many nasties. lol

rmfsnakes32 · 10-11-12, 12:03 PM

Eww I hate those things with a passion creeps me out

Gatorhunter1231 · 10-11-12, 12:29 PM

I had a Texas red headed centipede (which are not only in Texas). I named him squishy and had him for about 6months (let go) He was pretty cool with an orange head, orange legs and blue body. Ate spiders, pinkie mice and crickets.

Millipedes are like super sized rollie pollies (pill bugs) lol.

Will0W783 · 10-11-12, 01:00 PM

DAAAAANNNNG! That is a big ol' bug! :-o

Rogue628 · 10-11-12, 04:30 PM

I always thought they were pretty much the same thing, but not different species. So what little distinctions I found about them was pretty cool to learn.

However, if I see a long creepy crawly with lotsa legs, you can bet I'll be running the other way without thinking to see if I can figure out if it's one or the other lol

jaleely · 10-11-12, 05:31 PM

yup i am with you on the downfall thing. it's allllll those legs. gives me the creeps just thinking about how big this thing was lol BLAH

CK SandBoas · 10-11-12, 07:04 PM

Okay, i don't get freaked out much, but seeing that Centipede just made me shiver.... blechhhh