How cute ❤

Names please

❤

Geographic Range

Scutigera coleoptrata, the common house centipede, is thought to be native to the Mediterranean. Today it can be found throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. (Barnes, 2003; O'Toole, 1986; Barnes, 2003; O'Toole, 1986)

Biogeographic Regions nearctic introduced palearctic introduced native oriental introduced

Other Geographic Terms holarctic

Habitat

Scutigera coleoptrata prefers temperate climates and are often found in buildings. They can apparently survive in many humid habitats, as long as there is a place to hide, sufficient humidity, and enough food. They are often found in dark, humid areas such as crevices under rocks and caves. In residences they're more commonly found in basements and bathrooms (probably because of higher humidity there). (Buchsbaum, et al., 1987; Drees and Jackman, 1998; O'Toole, 1986)

Habitat Regions temperate terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes savanna or grassland forest

Wetlands marsh swamp bog

Other Habitat Features urban suburban riparian caves

Physical Description

House centipedes are brown or black in color. Like all arthropods, S. coleoptrata has an exoskeleton made of chitin and sclerotin. Its dorsal-ventrally flattened body is divided into fifteen segments with one pair of legs per segment. The first pair of legs is modified into fangs used for capturing prey and as protection. There are three dorsal longitudinal stripes, and the legs are banded. They have very well developed antennae and compound eyes. Most range from one to six cm in length and are very quick runners in comparison with other centipedes. (Arnett Jr., Ph.D., 1985; Barnes, 2003; Drees and Jackman, 1998; Grzimek, 1972; O'Toole, 1986)

Other Physical Features ectothermic heterothermic bilateral symmetry venomous

Range length

1 to 6 cm

0.39 to 2.36 in

Development

Immature S. coleoptrata hatch from the egg appearing very similar to the adults, although they have only four pairs of legs. As they develop they pass through five larval instars, with each molt gaining more leg pairs. After their fifth molt, they have all fourteen pairs of legs and are mature. (Barnes, 2003; Drees and Jackman, 1998; O'Toole, 1986)

Reproduction

Scutigera coleoptrata is stimulated by pheromones and sound signals. During courtship, males circle and tap other centipedes looking for a receptive female. Once a mate is found, the male spins a silk pad in which he places his sperm. The female then takes the sperm pouch and fertilizes her eggs. Courtship and reproduction occurs during the warmer months of the year. (Drees and Jackman, 1998; O'Toole, 1986)

Female house centipedes lay their eggs in the soil and cover them up with a sticky substance. Courtship and reproduction occurs during the warmer months of the year.

In laboratory observations, females laid an average of 63 eggs, and a maximum of 151 eggs. (Barnes, 2003)

Key Reproductive Features iteroparous seasonal breeding gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate) sexual fertilization internal oviparous

For about two weeks after the baby centipedes have hatched, the mother and her offspring live in the same place, providing some degree of protection for the young. (Drees and Jackman, 1998; O'Toole, 1986)

Parental Investment pre-fertilization protecting female pre-hatching/birth protecting female pre-independence protecting female

Behavior

Scutigera coleoptrata spend the winter in isolated protected habitats and become active in the spring. They retreat to underneath rocks and logs during the day, becoming active at night. They use their antennae to sense the environment around them, although S. coleoptrata makes better use of its eyes than most other centipedes. House centipedes migrate or burrow in response to changing environmental conditions such as extreme cold or drought. (Drees and Jackman, 1998; O'Toole, 1986)

Key Behaviors terricolous nocturnal motile

Food Habits

Scutigera coleoptrata is carnivorous, eating worms, snails, cockroaches, silverfish, fly larvae, and other arthropods. It senses its prey using its antennae which have scent and touch receptors on them. House centipedes then use their fangs to hold the prey while injecting poison with the modified front legs. After eating, S. coleoptrata retreats to a safe place to let the food digest. (Buchsbaum, et al., 1987; Drees and Jackman, 1998; O'Toole, 1986)

Primary Diet carnivore insectivore

Animal Foods insects terrestrial non-insect arthropods mollusks terrestrial worms

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

House centipedes eat many pest organisms, such as cockroaches (Blattodea) and silverfish (Lepismatidae). (Drees and Jackman, 1998; O'Toole, 1986)

Positive Impacts controls pest population

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

House centipedes are not aggressive, but can bite people in self-defense. Often their fangs are not strong enough to break the skin. If they do get through skin, the venom injected can cause a painful bite, comparable to a honeybee sting.

As relatively large and active arthropods, many people consider their presence indoors a nuisance. (Barnes, 2003; Drees and Jackman, 1998)

Negative Impacts injures humans bites or stings venomous household pest

Judas or Mango

I will call him Squash.

Give a million dollars to let that crawl all over you.

Posted by FirstDecanTaurianWomen0428
Give a million dollars to let that crawl all over you.

And to think I let it crawl on me for free :/

Yipes. I can't

Posted by Soul
Names please

❤

oh my goodness, how about Binky...?

Or Spindlepop- Pop for short x

Roger.

I love the name!

Thanks everyone ❤

I want a spider for a pet now.

Venomous.

Vinny

Gross.

Posted by blackphase
I actually found and rescued a baby kitten this weekend! She wouldn't be alive now if I didn't hear her little meows. Had to trudge through tall grass and weeds with a flashlight to find her, but she is safe and happy now. Calling her Luna as she was found on the night of the Lunar Eclipse!

Sorry for the sideways picture.. new phone with a better cam and the pictures are friggen huge!

Cute! I guarantee it will love it's safe home, especially with you 😉

The only thing I really saved was a tiny mouse that was trapped in a sink at work. It's eyes was shut, heart was pounding, and was on the brink of death so I got a rag, picked it up, and let it go in the grass. I might have made it, but was guaranteed a slow death trapped in that sink.

Posted by Montgomery
Venomous.

Vinny

Gross.

But they are super apex hunters, and eat other insects including spiders. They run and hide when human or light appear also, so they really don't want to be a bother.

Posted by Amethysst
Get rid of it! Lol :,(

But I like it, it's cute. I see little baby's scurry around all the time, and let them live. Me and the basement crawlers have a mutual agreement. They don't mess with me, I let them and their young Live and eat all the other insects in my basement.

Posted by blackphase
I actually found and rescued a baby kitten this weekend! She wouldn't be alive now if I didn't hear her little meows. Had to trudge through tall grass and weeds with a flashlight to find her, but she is safe and happy now. Calling her Luna as she was found on the night of the Lunar Eclipse!

Sorry for the sideways picture.. new phone with a better cam and the pictures are friggen huge!

awwww, good for you! I have a cat named Luna, she arrived to me in the middle of the night on a full moon - I call her moon pie / pie pie sometimes too - she's all black and a sweetie ... until she got mad at me one time but that story is for another day

I used to see those a lot in my basement apartment years ago...I called them terminators...I terminated a few of them.

Spunky!

Posted by blackphase
I actually found and rescued a baby kitten this weekend! She wouldn't be alive now if I didn't hear her little meows. Had to trudge through tall grass and weeds with a flashlight to find her, but she is safe and happy now. Calling her Luna as she was found on the night of the Lunar Eclipse!

Sorry for the sideways picture.. new phone with a better cam and the pictures are friggen huge!

cute!!

Posted by Soul

Posted by Amethysst
Get rid of it! Lol :,(

But I like it, it's cute. I see little baby's scurry around all the time, and let them live. Me and the basement crawlers have a mutual agreement. They don't mess with me, I let them and their young Live and eat all the other insects in my basement.

click to expand

at first I thought it was huge and from a pet shop, then I saw the hand photo. you found it in your house??

Alexander is a nice name.

Posted by blackphase
I actually found and rescued a baby kitten this weekend! She wouldn't be alive now if I didn't hear her little meows. Had to trudge through tall grass and weeds with a flashlight to find her, but she is safe and happy now. Calling her Luna as she was found on the night of the Lunar Eclipse!

Sorry for the sideways picture.. new phone with a better cam and the pictures are friggen huge!

Awwwwwwwblackphaaaaaase

Posted by Scruffles

Posted by Soul
I love the name!

Thanks everyone ❤

So what did you name it.. err.. your baby?

I think Foot Foot is a good name for centipede too. lol

click to expand

I haven't picked yet. I'll let the thread decide. Unfotrunatly I think the insect is on the verge of death. Its twice the size as the normal ones, and lost its will to run away. In reality that's the only reason I got a such a close picture of it without it running away. That's also how I got it to crawl on me without biting. Its still alive, but hasn't moved since I took the picture. I left some drops of water and a tiny piece of lunch meat next to it, but I think it's lost its will to live and is awaiting death.

blackphase is hijacking this thread

This sober reality reminds me of my last bug friend. I went to the bathroom and noticed a little spider hanging above it. I left it alone, and every time I went to the bathroom it was there. It would move back and forth almost like it was scanning me, but never bothered anything. Weeks later I started to worry about its health and touched it. It fell to the back of the toilet and cracked on half revealing the hollowed corpse it truly was. It wasn't ever scanning me, just the air flow from my body made it move back and forth. I gave it a funeral and flushed it down the toilet, and always remember it as the time I befriended the corpse of a spider.