Comments on: Giant bat-eating centipede

By: garth

garth — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:33:05 +0000

ahh…the arthropod-fear is rife. centipedes merely work to their strengths! i remember the first centipede I brought home with me, I was at the reptile store looking at my favorite spineless creatures, tarantulas. The clerk, a fellow named Skillet (for real!), said “hey garth, hold this” and handed me a plastic cup with a Vietnamese Giant Centipede (Scolopendra subspinipes) in it. a beautiful creature, long and sleek and designed like the bad guy’s spaceship in a cool sci-fi movie.
while i sat there examining the myriopod, Skillet returned, gave me a “pinkie” mouse (a mouse that hasn’t grown in it’s fur yet) and said “feed him that” with a grin. I dropped the mouse in, and the ‘pede took a second checking out the mouse, then buried it’s amazing jaws into its head, and immediately began eating the mouse alive. i was enrapt. i kept that bug until it died of old age.
centipedes come in an mind-boggling array of colors and sizes, and are rarely so poisonous as to seriously endanger your life (haha, even i had to giggle a little at that). I always observe the tropical fish rule with my spineless wonders: keep ‘em in the tank. if you don’t touch them, you won’t put them in danger (or yourself, I guess).
I’d recommend sites like arachnoboards.com for advice and pics of these amazing animals.
for a really mind-blowing adaptation, google “velvet worm”. nature is just WEIRD!
of course, that’s my opinion.

By: Peridolius

Peridolius — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:22:48 +0000

Man, that thing is the size of the fake plastic centipede my college roommate put in my bed one night. I pulled down the covers, saw the thing and let out a scream like a little girl on fire. I’m sleeping with the lights on . . .

By: Laurie

Laurie — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:56:36 +0000

I love David Attenborough and arthropods, but I don’t think I’m ever going to Venezuela now, either. Certainly not going to any caves there, even though I love bats.

By: Daniel Florien

Daniel Florien — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:23:50 +0000

@Jorge: What?!? You mean you aren’t afraid to go outside because of this obscure cave-dwelling monstrosity? :)

By: Jorge Bucaran

Jorge Bucaran — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:55:50 +0000

I am from Venezuela and I didn’t know about that…

By: Daniel Florien

Daniel Florien — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:50:55 +0000

@lurker111: You and I have very different ideas of what to define as “cute”. :)

@John: Ah, if it were only so easy!

By: John

John — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:35:35 +0000

Welp, that proves it. There is no god.

By: Lord of Numa

Lord of Numa — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:23:01 +0000

Ugh… that is disgusting… I hate centipedes too :/

By: lurker111

lurker111 — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:34:39 +0000

Actually, there is one cute-looking centipede called a scutigera. See here:

http://www.pbase.com/dang/image/61400403

google “scutigera” for other images

Saw one on the wall of a restaurant once; that one was almost feathery in its appearance. Also, if you have centipedes, supposedly you won’t have roaches, because centipedes eat other small arthropods.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:03:06 +0000

That is wickedly weird….nature is pretty amazing

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 03:51:55 +0000

Ughhhh…. now I won’t sleep…

By: Hector

Hector — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:49:50 +0000

Your bug videos always make me smile, even as they give me the creeps. I love biology.

By: John B

John B — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:21:17 +0000

Ah, the wondrous beauty of God’s creation!

Ok, just kidding. Seriously, though- Nature is one freaky/scary bitch!