House scolopendra is a common armored insect all over the world. It can be an exotic animal if a tropical species is acquired, the representatives of which reach 30 cm in diameter; or simply appears in the house by chance when we are talking about the centipede flycatcher, which lives in many regions of Russia and sometimes penetrates houses. The frightening appearance of this centipede immediately raises thoughts about whether it has poison that is dangerous to humans, and how to get rid of the uninvited guest.
What does a domestic scolopendra look like?
The centipede is not a rare guest of private houses and apartments on the first floors. It is the fact that this insect has a large number of legs and a worm-like shape that causes hostility towards it in most people. The length of the domestic scolopendra grows from 3 to 5 cm. The color of its body is yellow-brown. Some individuals may have a dark brown color. There are rows of dark dots on the sides of the insect. If they are not there, then black stripes on the back are definitely visible. The centipede's eyes are large, bulging, and easy to see. The whiskers are long, almost the same as the insect itself. The body of the scolopendra consists of 15 segments, each of which contains 2 legs of considerable length, bending at a right angle. Thus, this insect has 15 pairs of legs, and there are 30 in total.
Photo: aumondeduvin.com
Scolopendras move very quickly and are capable of covering 40 cm in a second. The front pair of legs does not participate in running, but serves as arms. It is equipped with claws, which are used by insects during hunting.
You can spot the centipede flycatcher in the house at night or late in the evening. She crawls on the floor, walls or ceiling. She can also often just sit in the corner. When a person appears, in most cases the insect quickly hides in the nearest crack or crevice. Scolopendra is a predator, as its diet consists of flies, cockroaches and bedbugs. Taking this into account, we can call the centipede a useful inhabitant of the apartment, which destroys uninvited and dangerous guests, who often suffer from serious illnesses.
During the day, this insect hides in dark, damp places and waits there for twilight. Most often, such an inhabitant appears in the bathroom, toilet or basement. Sometimes the centipede flytrap is bred specifically to combat cockroaches and bedbugs. This biological weapon helps to effectively solve the problem.
Professional chemicals
Chemistry is an effective way to combat scolopendras, which will help you get rid of them once and for all.
Aerosols from centipedes
Aerosols from centipedes
Spray the areas where the scolopendra runs with an aerosol. On her paws she will carry the poison that you sprayed along with the food into her stomach. If possible, it is better to spray the aerosol directly on the centipede itself.
Liquid insecticides to control millipedes
Often, such products are sold in large containers and need to be diluted. Before use, you must read the instructions. After dilution, apply the product to those places where scolopendra was noticed (corners, baseboards, floors, crevices, etc.).
Is the common flycatcher dangerous for humans?
All centipedes are poisonous insects, in which toxic substances are present not only in the jaws, but also in the claws and even just walking legs. Large tropical species are really dangerous for humans, but the Russian small common flycatcher is not dangerous, and the maximum that can happen after contact with it is redness of the skin, and only if it is very sensitive. This is due to the fact that the amount of toxin in northern species is very small, and the poison only threatens the prey for which it is primarily intended. Thus, the local scolopendra, familiar to everyone, is useful, not dangerous, and as long as it lives in the house, you don’t have to worry about pests appearing - it is a reliable guard against them.
If we talk about topical centipedes, they can be very poisonous. Some of them even pose a mortal threat to humans. Because of this, when getting an exotic insect as a pet, you need to understand that it is also a very dangerous neighbor that is capable of inflicting a bite that will require emergency medical attention.
Reproduction
Scolopendras become sexually mature by the second year of life. The act of copulation itself usually takes place in the silence of the night, so that no one can disturb the love idyll of a centipede couple. During sexual intercourse, the male produces a special cocoon, located in the last segment of his body; this cocoon contains seminal fluid - a spermatophore. During mating, the female draws this fluid into her genital opening, and a few months after mating she lays eggs/larvae. Moreover, up to 120 eggs are released per clutch, but not all survive. After a few more months, small ones emerge from the scolopendra larvae.
What to do if you are bitten by an insect
If a scolopendra flycatcher living in a house was driven into a corner by a person and decided to attack or was accidentally grabbed by a hand, it will bite in defense. In terms of pain, this damage will be similar to that caused by a wasp. The skin at the site of contact with the toxin immediately turns red and swelling occurs. The pain persists for quite a long time, and a local increase in temperature is also noted. If the insect was very frightened, then it also increases the concentration of poison in the legs, and therefore red marks resembling a rash remain on the skin over which it ran. Sometimes this area may itch. However, in order to force an insect to attack, a person must provoke the situation himself. Scolopendra will not attack first. This is dangerous for its jaw apparatus and can lead to its damage and, as a result, the death of the centipede. Scolopendra will also not touch domestic animals.
If an insect bites you, you should immediately wash the damaged area with cool water and wipe with alcohol. Afterwards, to quickly relieve redness and pain, it is recommended to apply a paste of baking soda, just as for wasp bites. In the case where the victim has a tendency to allergies to insect venoms, it is worth taking an antihistamine.
When a person is bitten by the southern giant scolopendra, which, unlike the flycatcher, is quite aggressive, it is necessary to urgently provide first aid and consult a doctor. First, the sore spot is washed with cold water, then treated with an antiseptic and a sterile bandage is applied. Drinking alcohol or trying to squeeze poison out of a wound instead of seeing a doctor is unacceptable.
What treatment can be applied at home?
After washing the affected area with water or alcohol, apply a sterile bandage. To reduce pain, use an ice compress and take an analgesic. The patient needs rest, it is advisable to drink plenty of fluids to help remove toxins from the body. It would be a good idea to take allergy medications.
Do not panic when meeting a centipede; the small centipede will try to quickly hide from a person. Also, do not act carelessly and pick it up. It is difficult to predict the animal’s reaction; if it panics, it will definitely bite. Remember that the centipede's venom is not fatal, but the bite site will turn red and hurt for several hours.
Methods of controlling parasites
If it is impossible to tolerate the presence of a centipede in the house, then it is necessary to get rid of the centipede. To do this, you need to follow certain rules, and first of all, avoid the presence of wet, overgrown areas near the house. Next, you need to seal all the cracks through which the insect can enter the room, and, of course, remove other parasites from the house in order to deprive the scolopendra of its food supply.
Photo: dropr.com
If these measures were not enough to evict the insect, then the use of insecticides is required. They are available in the form of pastes, aerosols and liquids. There are not many formulations against scolopendra, and the most popular of them are Medilis-Tsiper, Starex and Raid. When deciding to use chemicals, since they are all highly toxic, you should remember the safety rules.
Among folk remedies, boric acid gives the best results. It is poured into the cracks in which the insect hides so that it always comes into contact with the powder. This will cause paralysis and death of the scolopendra.
Folk remedies
Such methods will give less effect, but will not affect the health of you and your four-legged friends.
Boric acid
The simplest and most effective method is to apply boric acid to those areas of your floors and baseboards where “uninvited guests” have been noticed. There is no need to mix boric acid with anything.
Adhesive tapes
Here you can be smart and if you don’t have adhesive tape, use double-sided tape. Glue it in the places where you think scolopendras live and glue several flies onto the tape. Centipedes will come for prey and fall into your trap. It is worth noting that this method is only suitable for small centipedes; large individuals can easily get out of the trap and run away.
Differences between domestic and giant scolopendra
The giant scolopendra, which is sometimes kept as an exotic pet, and the domestic one are two different insects, which are united only by the fact that they both belong to the class Labiopods.
Photo: youtube.com
| Differences | Giant scolopendra | Scolopendra flycatcher |
| Family and clan | Family True centipedes, genus Scolopendra | Family Scutigeridae genus Scutigera |
| Size | Up to 35 cm | From 3.5 to 6 cm |
| Nutrition | Insects, small rodents, lizards, frogs, birds, snakes | Insects: cockroaches, bedbugs, flies, crickets, fleas, moths and other non-poisonous small insects |
| Aggressiveness | Quite aggressive and can attack without provocation | Not prone to attacks and resorts to them only in self-defense, when it was not possible to escape and hide |
| Virulence | It is highly toxic, and with a tendency to allergies, in young children, as well as severe pathologies of the heart and lungs, it can cause death. The larger the insect, the higher the dose of toxin. If the victim is in normal health, fever and weakness may persist for several days. | A scolopendra bite is not dangerous for humans and pets. The toxin is weak |
| Segments | The body consists of 21-23 segments | Always 15 |
| Where do they live? | Tropical countries | All Europe, Middle East, North Africa |
Source
Professional service
If you are unable to overcome scolopendra, use the service of professionals who, when starting treatment, take into account all factors:
- The territory where centipedes live.
- The number of pests in your home.
- Products that were previously used in the fight against centipedes.
The professional service uses two ways to combat scolopendras:
- Cold fog. Professionals irrigate your premises using a special machine. Small particles create a cloud, which settles within a few hours and the millipedes have no chance of getting out from under this cloud.
- Hot fog . This is a dry method of irrigating a room using a special machine that heats chemicals and then sprays them under high pressure. The insecticide particles in this case are even smaller than with cold fog - about 0.5 microns.
Features of the life of a poisonous centipede
Scolopendra are bright representatives of the genus of labiopods. Their distinctive feature is modified forelimbs that have turned into jaws. The body consists of segments, the number of which varies from 21 to 25 in different species. Each segment has its own pair of legs ending in sharp claws. The segmented antennae serve as organs of touch.
The variety of colors attracts attention to these creatures. Their paint contains red, blue, orange, purple, yellow and numerous combinations
Giant scolopendra
A variety of species and colors of scolopendra are found in hot tropical forests. The largest representatives of the family, the giant centipedes, live here. The average length of their body is 30 cm, but there are individuals up to 45-50 cm. They choose prey equal in size to themselves. But an aggressive manner of attacking any danger can provoke a person to bite. Scolopendra is a long-lived invertebrate; in captivity there are individuals that have lived up to 7 years.
Nutrition and reproduction
Scolopendras are nocturnal predators; they hide from the sun's rays, which dry out their bodies. Creatures live in crevices, under stones, in holes. Agile animals move quickly on numerous legs not only on horizontal, but also on vertical surfaces, and climb onto the ceiling of a cave or house. Centipedes hunt insects, small rodents, snakes and lizards.
During the breeding season, males lay a special sac with seed - a spermatophore. Females are fertilized by crawling over it. Caring mothers protect the eggs from danger for several weeks, covering them with their own paws. After the offspring appear, the female crawls away. The white, soft-bodied babies grow on their own, becoming more adult-like with each molt.
Poisonous apparatus
In order to have a good idea of the consequences of a scolopendra bite, it is worth considering the structure of its poisonous apparatus. The jaws with which the centipede catches prey consist of 6 segments. The outermost one is a sharp claw, curved inward. The venom gland channel runs inside the maxillary. At the tip of the claw there is a hole through which the toxin is injected into the victim. It contains substances that cause severe pain, tissue numbness, swelling and inflammation. Painful sensations last from several hours to several days.
Terrarium
Scolopendra, another name for centipede, is demanding of conditions in the terrarium. Since she prefers a warm climate with high humidity, similar conditions will need to be created in the terrarium. You can choose plastic or glass as the material. The walls should be twice the length of the centipede's body. They are prone to escape, so it is better to open the terrarium only from the top.
Any filler without treatment can be used as primer. Coconut substrate will also work. Its depth should be at least 13 cm, since the insect likes to burrow into the ground. The decor is not particularly important; you can use a coconut shell or tree bark as a house. For high air humidity, the soil needs to be sprayed every two days.
Precautionary measures
To avoid being bitten by this insect, you need to carefully inspect your bed before going to bed. You should pay attention to the fact that small centipedes can hide even in clothes, so you need to shake things out each time before putting them on.
As mentioned earlier, if you use chemicals yourself, you must use personal protective equipment. After you kill the insects, you should also ventilate the living space and wipe the surfaces in the house with a damp cloth.
What to feed?
Recently, keeping insects has become popular among terrarium keepers A pet in the form of a scolopendra is not only an exotic option, but also an unpretentious creature. In addition to a terrarium with all the equipment, the scolopendra needs proper care. In nature, they feed on other insects. At home, it can be fed with mealworms, crickets and other feeding insects. Large representatives of centipedes have been seen catching amphibians and small lizards.
Anatomy
The scolopendra's body consists of two parts: the head and a long body. It is divided into segments. Their number varies from 21 to 23. All of them are equipped with a pair of light yellow legs that end in a pointed spine. Their average length is 2.5 centimeters. Each of them has a poison gland. Therefore, when the legs of a scolopendra come into contact with human skin, inflammation occurs.
The head is a plate with eyes, two antennae and a pair of jaws. During the evolution, the legs of the first segment of the scolopendra's body turned into poisonous claws.
The last pair of legs is also different from the rest - they are larger in size and directed backwards. The hind legs help the animal when moving through earthen burrows and during hunting, acting as a kind of anchor.
Giant scolopendra has a beautiful copper-red or brown color. Color can vary from yellowish to red, blue, green and purple. The color of an animal changes with age, and even among individuals of the same species it can differ significantly.
The predator's body consists of plates that are connected to each other by flexible membranes and protected by an exoskeleton. Giant scolopendra is a soft-bodied animal. This type of centipede, like many invertebrates, has to shed its chitinous exoskeleton, which does not grow, from time to time. This process is called molting.
Giant scolopendra, whose bite is extremely painful for humans, is often kept in captivity by centipede lovers
She is interesting to watch, but needs to be kept with care - she is a fast and aggressive animal. Inexperienced lovers are better off abandoning such a dangerous “pet” because of the very likely possibility of being bitten.
Since centipedes are flat and flexible, they can squeeze into a small gap and escape from the terrarium. They live in captivity for a long time - up to 7 years.
It is necessary to maintain relatively high soil and air humidity - animals are very sensitive to this indicator.
Centipedes in captivity feed on cockroaches, larvae and crickets. They eat slowly and infrequently. It is recommended to give them food 1-2 times a week.
Some biological features
Crimean, or more precisely ringed, scolopendra is a representative of the family of labiopods. In biological nomenclature it is called Scolopendra cingulata.
Scolopendra can eat any creature that does not exceed its size, so it even hunts small lizards or snakes. It reaches 10-15 cm in length and grows throughout life. Small individuals are light golden in color, becoming olive and brown with age. The photo allows you to evaluate the structure of their body, but not their coloring.
Their legs are short but strong, noticeably lighter than the rest. The body is flat and protected by a dense chitinous shell, which is extremely durable. Such features help the scolopendra to easily penetrate even small crevices. She runs very fast and has excellent maneuverability.
Scolopendra is an aggressive insect! Obvious interest in her or an attempt to catch her will inevitably cause an attack, remember this.
