Talk:House centipede

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Contents 1 Copyrighted material 2 I don't kill them 3 They can kill a wasp 4 My Experience 5 Eeek 6 Laboratory experiment 7 Thanks for the info! 8 Damn Creepy 9 Absolutely Disgusting 10 Suggested Revision 11 I love these things 12 Weakness to light 13 Hate Those Kingston Bugs 14 Hate These Bugs 15 Possible way to get rid of them. 16 Is this comment necessary? 17 I just hate bugs all together! 18 Oh God 19 Is there any decent way to get rid of these? 20 What's dogs got to do, got to do with it? 21 one came out of my nose! 22 Multiple centipedes in the same location 23 Added picture 24 Ever been found in Australia? 25 Contradictory information on their bite? 26 Moved from article 27 Eventual war? 28 Unverifiable

[edit] Copyrighted material

I removed the following material, which appears to have been copied directly from http://www.uark.edu/depts/entomolo/museum/house_centipede.html

S. coleoptrata is indigenous to the Mediterranean region, but it has spread through much of Europe, Asia, and North America. In the United States, it has spread from the southern states and Mexico. It reached Pennsylvania in 1849, New York in 1885, and Massachusetts about 1890, and it now extends westward to the California coast and reaches north into Canada (Lewis 1981).

66.194.52.249 Italic textWell now I know! I live in a dry apartment and I encountered one of these things,Lol. A few months back I saw one of these things zipp along the edge of my rug and wall,they are fast!!! Well I lost sight of it and haven't saw it in months,but couldnt sleep because of its uglyness and not knowing what it was. Well just recently I came home from work at night and saw the thing on the side of my sofa,with a peice of dorito in its mouth! So I didnt waste any time I captured it hoping it will die,but felt guilty and let it go two days later. Now that I did my research because of curiousity,im glad I let it live,but not inside my house!Location,Upstate NewYork.

[edit] I don't kill them

I encounter them quite often in my house (southern Russia). Indeed, they look quite scary, but they don't move as quickly as this article (and others) describe -- I can catch them in a glass quite easily. Just found one in an empty wine glass right on my desk, tyingh to climb out (how did it get there?). I don't kill them, just throw them away from my balcony.

I found one just yesterday (New Jersey, Eastern USA) and it was the fastest moving insect I've ever seen. I estimate between 20 and 30 centimeters per second--no joke. Maybe they just vary from subvariety to variety? 24.225.159.192 19:21, 8 May 2006 (UTC)

In my opinion it has to do with whether or not they are disturbed. While merely moseying they're rather slow, but when you disturb them and they run at full speed they are frighteningly fast, hence why I prefer to spray them with bug killer from a distance.

Centipedes are not insects. --Crustaceanguy 19:20, 9 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] They can kill a wasp

These things don't mess around. My roommates and I caught a fairly large one of these a few years ago and kept it in a small container. We weren't sure what it ate, but we put some water and bits of potato in. A few days later, we caught a wasp (this house had all sorts of insects in it) and put it in with it to see which would win. The centipede must not have liked the potato because it quickly attacked the wasp and made short work of it. We decided to let it go, partly because we were scared of it and partly to get it started on the cockroaches and crickets but in hindsight, they would actually make a decent pet.

• I killed one yesterday in our bathroom - it was trapped in the stand-up shower. Boy, could it move! The author is right about the alarming appearance, heh heh. --Cheese Sandwich 15:46, 26 August 2005 (UTC)

• I saw one race across the floor in my bedroom where my baby also sleeps - any reports of these things actually biting a baby? I am scared for her but can't seem to find the sucker again.

[edit] My Experience

These things are freaky! I saw one a few days ago in the laundry room but couldnt conquer my fear of these things to kill it. Then (guess what happened) I'm doing my laundry and it COMES OUT OF THE SLEEVE! At this point, I freaked out. So, I have tacked a large sheet over the area to make it dark, I offered it some chocolate, and the area is dry so it can't survive for long. Sooner or later, its going to come out from wherever it is and I will find it and capture it. And flush it. Alive.

Ha-ha! Nice story. Made me chuckle. Hope you slew the beast.

I had one crawl out from under my pillow once. Right before I was about to shut off the light and go to bed. Suffice to say I didn't get much sleep that night.

[edit] Eeek

I've seen like five in my dorm room this week... four mid-sized ones and one really big one. Killed the big one with a hammer cause it was so big and scary. Adm58 07:12, August 31, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Laboratory experiment

This article cites "a laboratory experiment of 24 house centipedes", which sounds an awful lot like someone doing their own informal test at home. If so, this is original research and doesn't belong here. If not, the lab's published report should be cited. ~ Jeff Q (talk) 07:58, 11 September 2005 (UTC)

    I don't know which was written first, but this sentence (and several others in the article) are identical to 
    http://www.uark.edu/depts/entomolo/museum/house_centipede.html.  Since the uark article actually gives a citation,
    I'm guessing it's the original.

[edit] Thanks for the info!

At least now I know that I don't have to be afraid of the ugly little critters, and that they're actually keeping the other pests at bay. As long as I keep seeing no more than a couple a week, I won't bug-bomb the apartment to get rid of them. (Mine seem to live under the floor. Strange place, eh?) I'll still grab a paper towel, tissue, or wad of toilet paper (whatever is closest!) and squish them when I do see them, though! --Icarus 08:09, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

It's all about the balance of nature. If there's no food (other little nasty critters around) around, they'll leave you be, but they're actually doing you a service by getting rid of those creatures that you'd rather not have. ;)

[edit] Damn Creepy

All I know is that I'd rather have a spider in my room than one of these things. I freakin hate these things. I always find them in my shower and I have no idea how they get in there. SkeezerPumba 17:29, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

I'm half-convinced they teleport somehow. 71.247.127.43 05:02, 3 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Absolutely Disgusting

I have seen way to many of these things in my apartment, hanging out on my walls, running on the floor and in my bathroom and they absolutley repulse me. They move so fast and when you finally do catch one their legs fall off. I now finally know the name of the bug and I am still grossed out every time I see one in my apartment.

--and the legs keep twitching even after they fall off. Cool :)

[edit] Suggested Revision

The last sentence of the third paragraph currently reads: "Of course, stepping on one of these dropped legs is akin to stepping on clipped toenails and can hurt."

Why "Of course"? That implies that it's obvious; it doesn't seem obvious to me. Especially if you're wearing shoes... OK, just kidding, I know the writer meant "in your bare feet" although he didn't say so. I have to question whether that's even true. Their legs seem so delicate that it's hard to believe you'd even feel it if you stepped on just a leg. I have these in my home but I'm not going to try stepping barefoot on one of the legs to find out... has anybody done that? In any event, that sentence seems trivial and maybe we should just cut it out.

Another thought... these things are really gross and alarming looking, but in fact they're highly beneficial, eating lots of insect pests (like roaches and termites) and rarely biting people. Why is it that they look so disgusting to most people?

They probably look just as disgusting to birds and other things which would prey upon them.

[edit] I love these things

I think they're kind of cute, they look like some kind of mutant spider-cricket. It is a little scary at first when they run across your floor or wall. But they're just tiny little bugs, and they do a good service. I actually don't see what's so terrifying about them. Personally I find them less scary looking than any other kind of centipede. I wonder if they eat brown recluse. That would be grand.

Oh and if anyone catches one and wants to try and keep it, they will eat small/baby crickets. Also don't forget to mist the container so they have something to drink. The one I caught was not aggressive at all, just skittish.

I have seen many in my home which is just over 100 years old. I think they make their way up to the first floor from the basement. They totally creep me out. I don't care what they eat. I saw one running across the floor the other night and without thinking I jumped up off the couch, ran over and crushed it with my heel...barefoot! I quickly kill them when I see them because I know how fast they are and if they get under furniture or somewhere else you will never get them. By the way, I barely felt it on my barefoot. Very fragile. I'm hoping by knocking down the spider population in the basement I can get the centipedes numbers down.

[edit] Weakness to light

These insects appear to have some sort of sensitivity to light. I used a flash light to get one out from under a chair. They always run the other way from a light source. Should that be mentioned in the article?

2d6 extra damage! D;

Yes I've noticed this. It seems like the bigger ones hate light a great deal and will do anything to stay out of it. Frequently turning on the lights in a room will alarm any present centipedes. I've also found they are mostly nocturnal BUT sometimes during the day you can catch one hiding where it's dark such as under a couch.

Absolutely. I usually encounter them in my basement only because I see them running like mad as soon as I turn on the light. Scares the hell out of me every time.

You are correct, sir. Though it's not actually a weakness, but probably more of a defense mechanism of sorts. I would imagine that it serves them well not to be seen -- and they have an uncanny ability to move like shadows in the corner of your eye. I had a darkroom in the basement of my old home (emphasis on old). They didn't seem to be sensitive to red light, and would gradually creep closer until I'd switch on the normal light; then they'd promptly dart back into the shadows. Unfortuantely I'd have to wait for each print to completely fix before I could switch on the light, so you could imagine my apprehension! It's hard to count consistently when you aren't sure whether the feeling in the back of your neck is just your hair standing, or a well placed s. coleoptrata! -Etafly 07:26, 18 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Hate Those Kingston Bugs

I've killed a handful of big ones this past week. I think the summer humidity is bringing them out.

I'm in Kingston, Ontario. The Oct 15 edit adds the single phrase that this is sometimes known as the "Kingston bug". I believe it, but Google turns up no other hits on that phrase that don't refer to this article. Is there a source for this assertion?

Never heard them called that, but check out the recent Queen's Journal(Volume 134, Issue 26) for a story about them. http://www.queensjournal.ca//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=452&getsection=91&getnews=682 130.15.164.123 04:56, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Hate These Bugs

I moved into a new place in New Jersey, and I've been battling these guys for the last few months. They are nasty, disgusting creatures. I've used shoes, brooms, magazinese, prayers to get rid of these things. I have a good idea of where they come from, and the only reason why I don't completely get rid of them is my hopes that they alse help to keep my mortal enemy away - caterpillars...uuugghhhh....

[edit] Possible way to get rid of them.

I had a small ant infestation about the time I had a few scutigera show up. I wasn't too fond of the ants, and even less fond of the scutigera. I figured the ant bait killed the ants. It takes a couple days for the ants to die from the poison, time to bring it back to the queen. Also time to get eaten by scutigera. Either the rest of the scutigera died from eating poison ants, or their food supply died and they moved on.

[edit] Is this comment necessary?

From the article:

If one finds an unwanted house centipede in the home and does not wish to kill it, it can be herded into a clean glass container with a lid, taken outside and released, preferably far away so it does not find a way back in.

Can't that be said of nearly any insect? Jeff Silvers 16:30, 11 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] I just hate bugs all together!

I am seriously scared of all insects (especially spiders) and when I saw the house centipede in my laundry room, I flipped out! I am so scared of spiders and now these centipedes, I just won't catch them! But, after reading this article, it seems that they can be useful. So maybe now I will just let them go... But they better not find their way up to my bedroom!--Kevin 0089 15:00, 23 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Oh God

Umm I just saw one in my bedroom yesterday night. Anyway to get rid of it? I just don't want to see it again. It's scary.Lord Vader 13:50, 25 July 2006 (UTC)

I just want to say that is the most ironic post/username combination I have ever seen in my life. 69.6.105.175 02:44, 10 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Is there any decent way to get rid of these?

They scare the crap out of me, and I see them too often. Is there a decent way to significantly reduce their numbers or get rid of them entirely? Will professional extermination do the trick? For some reason I have doubts that one can keep them out of his or her house completely.

Are there any locations in North America where these bugs are not common household pests? --Eleo 18:38, 26 July 2006 (UTC)

I just moved from California to New York, and I had never, ever seen one before I moved. My roommate from Wisconsin also had never encountered the things. I am so happy they aren't dangerous, but they scare the crap out of me every time they run across something. Like my kitchen counter. Or my bedroom floor. Well, at least my rainboots are getting some use.

Alaska. I used to live there and we only had a few problems with hornets. Ants, roaches, and so on don't really live there. There are also no snakes, very few spiders (I think the brown recluse is the only one that can hurt you), and no centipedes. I've heard of a few ant problems but they are very rare. You do have to worry about getting trampbled by moose though.

[edit] What's dogs got to do, got to do with it?

I'm a bit mystified as to what this sentence means under the section "Natural History," paragraph 2:

"Best defense: Bee-hunting dogs."

What, exactly, are bee-hunting dogs the best defense against? The centipedes? Wouldn't that be a centipede-hunting dog?

Or does each centipede have a bee-hunting dog to accompany it, and this is considered the best weapon in the centipede's arsenal (a la the Simpsons: Dogs with bees in their mouths)?

Anyway. I recommend rephrasing this sentence or removing it all together. Lpython 23:54, 26 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] one came out of my nose!

Yes, one really came out of my nose this morning. I thought I had a parasite or something, but after much research and a visit to two doctors today, I am almost positive that this thing was up my nose and it came out when I was in the shower. It stung me too. It was one of the most traumatic things that has happened to me, I think because I actually saw it coming out in a mirror. I'm kind of scared to go to sleep right now...

Happened to me when I was about twelve or so years old. I was sleeping on the floor, and awoke to an incessant itching in my nose. I promptly sneezed, and there were dismembered legs all over my face. Still moving, mind you. Heh, you'd think they'd have a support group for this kind of thing. -Etafly 07:34, 18 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Multiple centipedes in the same location

More then once I've encountered multiple centipedes in the same room simultaneously, or even in extremely close proximity to each other (I guess they don't try to eat their own kind). I'm wondering if there's any reason for this. Perhaps mathing? Generally I see them fairly rarely, so I find it odd that ocassionally they're in the same place. I remember recently, I tried to kill one and it ran into another while trying to make its escape. Kind of disgusting :( Just today there were two on the ceiling, perfectly still at the time, but only about three inches away from each other. I didn't even realize it immediately, I figured I was only looking at once and the other was some sort of stain or something, as it was dark. Then of course when I sprayed in the general direction, I saw two run for it. They were both rather large and I am still sort of sickened by their presence. I hope poisoned both of them sufficiently enough that they will eventually die. I just found it sort of odd. -Eleo 09:13, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Added picture

Hey, I've added a picture I took of one of these freaky things that was captured in a pencil holder. Please tell me if I did anything wrong or if anything needs to be changed.

[edit] Ever been found in Australia?

Something that looked a lot like a house centipede ran up my leg while I was sitting at work this morning, but I work in Melbourne, Australia. I, & my work colleagues, had never seen anything like it before. Has it ever been recorded as living in Australia, or am I confusing it with a similar native species? Climatically, Melbourne is similar to parts of Europe or North America, so I guess if it could make the trip, it would happily survive here. (Stentong62 05:56, 11 January 2007 (UTC))

From what I understand, the house centipede is pretty much world spread. Just saw one 30 seconds ago, hence I'm on this article. --Wildnox(talk) 06:01, 12 January 2007 (UTC)

"House centipedes have been accidentally introduced into Australia and are common in many parts of the country." according to a helpful Invertebrate Specialist from the Butterfly Department at Melbourne Zoo. (Stentong62 00:46, 16 January 2007 (UTC))

[edit] Contradictory information on their bite?

"because of their alarming appearance, frightening speed, and painful bite, few homeowners are willing to share a home with them. They do not cause damage to food or furniture." "The house centipede is capable of biting a human, but this seldom occurs. When it does, it is no worse than a minor bee sting. The worst one can usually expect from a house centipede's bite is some pain and a slight swelling at the location of the bite."

Painful bite in the first line here, then the article promptly reassures us that the bite rarely happens and isn't really that bad. According to Eric Rickey, manager of the Canadian National Identification Service for Insects:

"Rickey said that technically you can be bitten by house centipedes, but it’s rare and the harm would be minimal. 'You’d have to be pretty, let’s say, thin-skinned,' he said. 'It has very small mandibles and that’s the only way it can actually bite or sting. It doesn’t have a stinger like a bee or a wasp, but it can bite and it does have venom—that’s how it kills its prey. But to you it would be a mild bee sting if it were able to bite you, like, maybe, in-between your fingers or something where there’s a delicate web of flesh.' " http://www.queensjournal.ca//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=452&getsection=91&getnews=682

Sounds to me like the "they're not so bad" line is more accurate, and that they're of little to no threat to people, except perhaps by inducing heart attacks since they're so freaky looking. Opinions on editing the first line to perhaps include some of this information(small mandibles, effects similar to a mild bee sting)? 130.15.164.123 05:06, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Moved from article

"In an act of defense, when one of the house centipede's legs is held down, it drops that leg in hopes that the attacker will be distracted by the temporarily twitching appendage. (pers. interview)"

I have no reason to doubt it, but the principle is a principle. This is not WP:V-verifiable. Personal interviews don't count as sources. --91.148.159.4 15:35, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Eventual war?

Doesn't this part of the article seem made up?

"One of the world's largest concentrations of house centipedes reside in the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC)'s Fort Haldimand, where they are known as 'haldibugs'. As a test of fortitude and bravery, freshmen at RMC are encouraged to work as a team and visit the lair of the Queen haldibug to kidnap one of her hatchlings. Since 1997, only six haldibugs have been successfully extracted. Given time, the captured haldibugs will lead the eventual war between man and bug. See Starship Troopers as a future historical reference."

This implies that house centipedes will one day wage war against human beings much like the war depicted in Starship Troopers. While hilarious, this probably isn't true and is certainly not verifiable. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Scotty1time (talk • contribs) 05:59, 5 March 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Unverifiable

Most of the following might be true, or it might be just invented nonsense, so we should choose the safe option. Some of it is not very notable either. No relevant google hits for any of the supposed colloquial synonyms, no way to check it. The bit about "the world's largest concentrations" is especially suspicious, and the word "haldibug" appears in the above bullshit as well. --91.148.159.4 23:30, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

A large colony of house centipedes resides in the East Quad of Brandeis University, resulting in the arthropods being dubbed "East Bugs" on the campus. Likewise, a colony lives in Old Dorm Block (ODB) of Reed College, where they are known as "ODB Bugs." One of the world's largest concentrations of house centipedes reside in the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC)'s Fort Haldimand, where they are known as 'haldibugs'.

In Ontario, Canada, house centipedes are known as 'feather dusters'.

In the Midwest, these bugs are known colloquially as 'fringe animals' and 'bazillopedes'.

In the Washington, DC Metropolitan area, house centipedes are also known as 'desk crawlers' because they could often be found on desks of unsuspecting residents.