- How many legs does a scolopendra have?
Whatever you say, the scolopendra is far from the most pleasant representative of the animal world, and it is also very dangerous for humans. Many species of scolopendra are poisonous and sometimes a scolopendra bite can even lead to fatal consequences; it is not for nothing that the giant scolopendra is included in the list of the most dangerous insects on the planet. Scolopendra belongs to the genus of millipedes, order Scolopendra. The name “scolopendra” is of ancient Greek origin and is translated into our language as “centipede”.
Description, structure, characteristics
Scolopendra is very reminiscent of a long and thick worm, black or brown with splashes of green. However, the color of some centipedes may differ depending on the species. The body length of the centipede is 10-15 cm, but sometimes it can reach 35 cm.
The body of the scolopendra consists of a head and a long torso, which in turn consists of twenty (and sometimes more) segments connected to each other by flexible
membranes protected by an exoskeleton. Each segment has its own pair of legs. The first pair of legs of the scolopendra are called the mandibles; they serve the scolopendra to grab potential prey and send it directly into its mouth.
The last pair of legs of the scolopendra is also different from the rest; it is large in size and serves as a kind of anchor for the insect, at the same time helping with movement through earthly burrows.
The head of the scolopendra is like a plate with eyes, two antennae and a pair of jaws. The scolopendra's compound eyes provide it with excellent vision and good orientation in space.
Why might a centipede appear in a house or apartment?
It is not difficult for a flexible and dexterous scolopendra to penetrate into a person’s home. Arthropods easily move along inclined and even vertical surfaces and can climb into the narrowest cracks.
The main reasons that encourage centipedes to come indoors are warmth and the presence of food. With the onset of autumn, arthropods look for comfortable shelter. They are especially attracted to warm, humid places. Therefore, most often they can be found in bathrooms and basements. If there are a lot of insects in the house, this will become an additional factor that attracts centipedes.
How many legs does a scolopendra have?
The number of legs of a centipede directly depends on the number of segments of the body, and it is usually from 21 to 23, since each segment has its own pair of legs, then any decent centipede has 42-46 legs. It is also worth remembering that each of the scolopendra’s legs has a poisonous gland and, for example, if it comes into contact with human skin, it can cause inflammation.
Nutrition
As you probably already guessed, our today's heroine, centipede, is a notorious predator of the insect world; other smaller insects act as a source of food for centipedes: earthworms, beetles,
crickets, grasshoppers, etc.
Scolopendra caught a grasshopper.
But the giant scolopendra can easily attack small ones
lizards, frogs, birds, small snakes and even bats. To catch the latter, the centipede, holding the surface with its claws, climbs to the ceiling where it sleeps, then attacks the bat with its front claws, simultaneously wrapping itself around the victim and injecting poison into it.
Types: photos and names
There are about 600 species of these insects in nature, but we will describe the most interesting of them.
Giant scolopendra
As you probably already guessed from the name, this is the largest scolopendra, its body length reaches 35 cm. It is also the most dangerous, since its bite can be fatal to humans. The giant scolopendra lives in the tropics of South America.
Ringed scolopendra (Crimean scolopendra)
In our country it is better known as Crimean scolopendra, since its habitat is Southern Europe, including our Ukrainian Crimea. The Crimean scolopendra is not as large (and not as dangerous) as the giant one, its body length is on average 10 cm. The ringed scolopendra has a golden yellow color and is a very fast insect that eats other smaller insects.
California scolopendra
The Californian scolopendra lives in the arid regions of the Southern United States and Mexico. Its body length reaches 20 cm. It is distinguished by its bright orange color. Although its venom is not as toxic as that of the giant scolopendra, it can nevertheless easily cause inflammation of the skin in humans upon contact with the poisonous limbs of this centipede.
Scolopendra Lucas
Scolopendra Lucas also lives in Southern Europe. Its body is rusty in color and its head is heart-shaped.
House scolopendra (flycatcher)
The smallest and most harmless of centipedes, its body length is only 3 to 6 cm. Also, unlike its dangerous relatives, it has no poison and, as a result, does not pose any threat to humans. It lives in southern Europe, the Mediterranean and also in North Africa. It got its name because of its habit of settling in people’s houses, and although, as we have already noted, this scolopendra does not pose a threat, nevertheless, its presence in the house is not at all desirable. The domestic scolopendra feeds on small insects, usually flies, which is why it is even nicknamed the flycatcher.
Chinese scolopendra
This representative of the scolopendra kingdom lives in Asia, in particular China, and also in Australia. It is distinguished by its red color, which is why it is also known as the Chinese red centipede. Interesting fact: the inventive Chinese have learned to use the venom of the Chinese scolopendra for medical purposes; in the treatment of various skin diseases, it promotes the healing process in small doses.
Poisonous apparatus
There are many poisonous scolopendras in nature. The animal contains poison in the front jaws. It is with them that the centipede captures the victim, the released poison paralyzes and poisons the prey.
The centipede plunges its front claws into the body of the victim when attacking. After killing the victim, it begins to chew slowly, the tidbits are sent into the wide throat. Scolopendras absorb food very slowly for a long time.
Scolopendra venom contains::
- bioactive acetylcholine compounds;
- histamine;
- serotonin;
- lecithin.
After injecting poison at the site of the bite, swelling forms. The victim's body is paralyzed, which provides an excellent opportunity for the arthropod creature to feast on the caught bug. The most gigantic individuals can attack and eat large bats.
You can tell whether a centipede is poisonous or not by its color. The closer it comes to the natural colors of the surrounding area, the more poisonous the individual is.
Typically, scolopendra venom is no more dangerous to humans than bee poisons. Animals living in damp basements of residential buildings, as a rule, do not contain substances hazardous to humans. Animals need poison to obtain food.
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.
Lifestyle
Arthropod predators rely on their sense of touch to hunt. They feed on earth beetles, worms, and larvae. They guard their prey underground, and when they appear on the surface, they feed on flies, wasps, and other insects.
The predator plunges its poisonous claws into them and begins to chew the prey. He eats for a long time, chews slowly, tearing off piece after piece. Centipedes live alone, do not interact with their relatives, and conflicts between two individuals are rare. But if they happen, then until the death of one of them.
Scolopendras dig into one another and freeze in this position for several hours, or even days. The confrontation will end when one of the opponents dies.
The female lays eggs in mid-April - she does not need a male to procreate. The embryo takes several weeks to mature, after which the eggs hatch into tiny worms. They quickly gain size.
In the first days, the female protects her offspring, but then crawls away, and the cubs begin an independent adult life. Centipedes are long-lived when compared to other arthropods. They live 2-3, and sometimes 7 years.
Danger to humans
Regarding the danger of scolopendra to humans, the giant scolopendra that lives in the jungles of South America is especially dangerous; its bite can actually cause severe poisoning, even death. As for the Crimean scolopendra living in our country, although it is not fatal, nevertheless, you should stay away from it.
Symptoms of a scolopendra bite (in particular our Crimean one):
hornet,
This discomfort lasts about two days.
Interesting fact: female scolopendras are more poisonous and dangerous than males.
Traditional methods
Scolopendras are often found in private houses and cottages where families, children, and animals live. Fighting with chemicals is not always appropriate. Residents often use traditional methods, for example, hot cayenne pepper (powder), pouring it in places where insects accumulate. It is also advisable for them to be run over the pepper or eaten.
First of all, it is important to eliminate the food supply for scolopendra, i.e. remove ants, cockroaches, bedbugs and spiders so that there is nothing for feeding. And without it there will simply be nothing to feed on.
Of course, if large hordes appear, you can contact a specialized service. Professionals will quickly clear the house of uninvited guests by acting on them using thermal methods or chemical compounds containing synthetic pyrethroids. This way you can quickly process it. One procedure is enough for scolopendras to leave the house forever and not appear in the future.
What to do if you are bitten
First of all, of course, it is best to simply prevent the scolopendra from biting you. She herself is unlikely to specifically attack a person, but she can bite in a state of fright and self-defense. Very often, scolopendras have a bad habit of crawling into tourists’ tents, so to avoid unwanted guests:
- use a closed tent with a zipper, and even such a tent should not be left open unattended.
- Inspect your tent thoroughly before going to bed.
- In the morning, check your clothes and things for the presence of scolopendras, they like to arrange a shelter for themselves in these items.
- Also remain vigilant when turning over stones or collecting dry branches, as centipedes may be hiding there.
If it does happen that scolopendra runs across a person’s skin, leaving a mark in the form of an inflamed stripe, measures should be taken immediately:
- wash the affected area with soap and water or disinfect with alcohol.
- then apply a sterile bandage.
- to drink a lot of water.
- provide peace to the victim.
- Do not drink alcohol under any circumstances (it speeds up the body’s metabolism, and with it the effect of scolopendra poison).
- It is highly advisable to consult a doctor for professional medical help.
If a scolopendra has bitten a pregnant woman, a child, an elderly person, a person suffering from cardiovascular diseases or prone to allergic reactions, then immediately going to the hospital for professional medical help is mandatory!
Habitat
We did not make a reservation, namely animals. Scolopendras are representatives of armored arthropod centipedes and belong to the animal kingdom. They are found where there are deserts, forests, mountains or limestone caves, and can live underground.
The underground habitat is explained by the fact that there is no special coating on the body of arthropods, so the body quickly loses moisture. The humidity in the soil is constant, so the animals are not at risk of dehydration.
Scolopendra lives in different climatic conditions, but prefers those areas where the climate is tropical. She is thermophilic; if the temperature drops below zero, the centipede will not survive.
In areas with cool temperatures it rarely grows more than 10 cm, while in the tropics individuals grow to almost 30 cm.
Video
And in conclusion, an interesting film about scolopendra.
Author: Pavel Chaika, editor-in-chief of Poznavaika magazine
When writing the article, I tried to make it as interesting, useful and high-quality as possible. I would be grateful for any feedback and constructive criticism in the form of comments on the article. You can also write your wish/question/suggestion to my email [email protected] or Facebook, with respect, the author.
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