Scolopendra is a genus of labiopods from the order Scolopendra. They are the most major representatives of his class. There are about 90 species of scolopendra in the world fauna. They live mainly in the tropics and subtropics. However individual species can also be found in colder zones.
Most scolopendras choose shelters under stones, logs, in rock cracks and other similar places in which dry time There is a sufficient amount of water vapor in the air during the day. When the weather is too wet or too dry, they look for more comfortable conditions and often choose human housing as a refuge.
The largest representative of centipedes lives in Australia - this is the giant centipede, which can grow up to 30 cm. It has even been attributed to attacks on toads, lizards and chicks.
About 600 species of scolopendra are known. Basically, these are tropical species that are the most poisonous: even an adult can die from burns received from tropical centipedes healthy man. In the CIS, centipedes are found only in the south, but all of them are practically harmless. A lot of scolopendras live in the Crimea, the Mediterranean and Transcaucasia. Living underground, it is more agile than on the surface: it runs through the burrows of other animals or makes its own passages with the help of numerous legs. The scolopendra lives underground not only because it is more comfortable there, but because its body is deprived of any special covering and it very quickly loses moisture, which does not threaten it underground: constant humidity is maintained here. All scolopendras are thermophilic; temperatures below zero degrees can simply destroy them.
Young scolopendras eat small insects; adult individuals feed on everything whose size does not exceed their own. Scolopendras lead a lively nightlife. Their behavior is dominated by active aggression. To kill prey more quickly, these centipedes use poison.
The poisonous apparatus is located in the jaws, each of which ends in sickle-shaped claws. At the base of the last apical segment of each maxilla there is a poisonous gland, which is connected by a duct to the apex of the claw. When attacked, the claws damage the skin and the poison penetrates the wound. Scolopendras also use their jaws to protect themselves from enemies.
Scolopendras are individualists by nature and live strictly alone. Fights between them happen extremely rarely, but if this happens, then the fight is not life or death. Rivals cling to each other and freeze in this position until one of them dies.
Centipedes breed in mid-spring. Among them, the phenomenon of parthenogenesis is very common, that is, when the female herself participates in the fertilization of eggs. After a few weeks, tiny worms emerge from the laid eggs and grow very quickly. The mother guards them for several days, but then she crawls away, and each newly born scolopendra begins an independent life. By the way, compared to other insects, these centipedes are real long-livers. At least in captivity they live up to 7 years.
Scolopendras are dangerous to humans, but different types this danger manifests itself in different ways. For example, a representative of blind centipedes - scriptopus - cannot bite through the skin, since it has very weak jaws. But if you crush a centipede, its remains are very toxic. A bird that inadvertently eats a blind scolopendra dies within a few hours.
Californian green scolopendra, if disturbed, releases a substance that is very irritating to the skin. In addition, it can severely scratch the skin if it runs over the body. By the way, the ringed scolopendra, which lives on south coast, also leaves burns in the form of small red spots. True, the burn goes away after a few hours. The Vietnamese scolopendra secretes mucus with the smell of phosphorus - it causes the most severe burns and inflammation of the skin.
Scolopendra cannot be called very aggressive. In defense, the centipede can jump high and move deftly, but a burn or bite can only be received when you take the insect in your hands or the centipede itself runs into the house or tent. In the latter case, the scolopendra may not be noticed and accidentally crushed. Scolopendra can run through a person’s body and not cause him any harm - it all depends on her own desire. Scolopendra uses venom sparingly and rarely bites. It is much worse with the burning mucus that remains behind the insect.
In humans, their bites cause local swelling and pain, usually lasting 1-2 hours. If the scolopendra is a large tropical species, these phenomena can last for several days. In some cases, an increase in temperature is observed and a febrile state begins.
How to protect yourself from a scolopendra bite
Centipedes are not interested in humans. It becomes dangerous, as a rule, only in a state of fright. Therefore, adhering to simple rules:
- To spend the night outdoors in the habitats of these lipopods, use tents that close with a zipper.
- Inspect your tent thoroughly before going to bed.
- In the morning, carefully examine your clothes and shoes to identify scolopendras, which like to hide in these items.
- Do not study local fauna at night.
- remain vigilant when turning over stones or collecting dry branches, because centipedes can often hide in their shadows.
- be especially careful in the off-season.
- When keeping centipedes in a terrarium, do not touch them with bare hands, use forceps or tweezers.
What measures can be taken if you come into contact with scolopendra?
1. First of all, you should wash the affected area with soap and water or disinfect it with alcohol.
2. Then you need to apply a sterile bandage.
3. To relieve severe pain, you can do cold compress, apply an ice pack or a bottle filled with cold water to the wound.
4. Provide peace to the victim.
5. Provide plenty of fluids.
6. Considering the rich composition of scolopendra venom, it is recommended to contact a medical facility after contact with it.
Keeping scolopendra in a house or apartment is possible in an aquarium. Most often, scolopendra species are grown from tropical species, since the bite of scolopendra large sizes and bright colors. You can plant one centipede in a small, tightly closed aquarium. Make sure there is a secluded place where she can hide. For supporting high humidity air, place a container of water in the drinking bowl.
The bottom of the aquarium is covered with a substrate made of a mixture of peat and sand, which absorbs water well. The temperature for keeping scolopendra should not be lower than +20-25C.
It is best to feed the centipede only when it begins to look for food. Insects that the centipede does not eat overnight are removed from the aquarium. Be careful when removing the scolopendra from the aquarium; it may bite you in self-defense. Use protective gloves and do not let her run freely around the apartment.
Interesting facts about scolopendra
Over the past 100 years, only three reports of human death from contact with scolopendra. The last case occurred in 2005. A 46-year-old man died then.
Every year, more than 5,000 cases of contact with scolopendras are recorded in Turkey. Almost all of them are not accompanied by any serious consequences.
There is no point in killing scolopendra. In addition, this is very difficult, since the centipede has such a flat shape that it is even impossible to press it down with a stone. It will simply squeeze into the soil.
The Vietnamese scolopendra otostigmus (Otostigmus aculeatus) secretes a luminescent liquid with the smell of phosphorus - it causes severe burns and inflammation of the skin.
Some African centipedes can make chirping and crackling noises with their rear pairs of legs, which scares away enemies, such as centipedes rhizidae, alipes, and South African centipedes. Interestingly, they themselves do not react to sound.
Among the predatory centipedes, the scutigera flycatcher (Scutigera coleoptrata) with 15 pairs of long legs and long antennae is also noticeable. She runs along walls and hunts flies and other small insects. The flycatcher has many eyes; their clusters resemble the compound eyes of insects and are apparently used for hunting. The flycatcher is more adapted to dry air than other centipedes and is more often found during the day, although in hot, sundial still hiding in a shelter. At the same time, it can be active at more low temperatures than many insects - this helps her in hunting. Now the flycatcher has become rare in Crimea and is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.
Features and habitat of scolopendra
Scolopendra - insects, or to be more precise, arthropods. They live in everyone climatic regions, But giant scolopendra can only be found in the tropics, especially large scolopendra I like living in the Seychelles, the local climate suits her best.
These creatures are settling in forested areas, mountain peaks, dry hot deserts, rocky caves. Typically, species inhabit areas with temperate climate do not reach large sizes. Their length ranges from 1 cm to 10 cm.
And scolopendras who prefer to live in resorts tropical areas, they are simply gigantic, by the standards of centipedes, in size - up to 30 cm - you must agree, it’s impressive! In this sense, the residents of our country are luckier, because, for example, Crimean centipedes, do not reach such impressive sizes.
Being predatory representatives of the centipede of this species, they live alone, and live large and friendly family they don't like it. It is rare to meet a scolopendra during the day, because it prefers night look life and it is after sunset that she feels like the mistress of our planet.
Pictured is the Crimean scolopendra
Millipedes don't like the heat, and they don't like rainy days either, so for their comfortable stay they choose people's houses, mostly dark, cool basements.
The structure of the scolopendra is quite interesting. The body is easily visually divided into main parts - the head and the body of the body. The body of the insect, covered with a hard shell, is divided into segments, which are usually 21-23.
It is interesting that the first segments lack legs and, in addition, the color of this part is noticeably different from all the others. On the head of a centipede, the first pair of legs also includes the functions of the jaws.
At the tips of each leg of the centipede there is a sharp thorn that is saturated with poison. In addition, poisonous mucus fills the entire internal space of the insect’s body. It is undesirable to allow the insect to come into contact with human skin. If a disturbed scolopendra crawls onto a person and runs across unprotected skin, severe irritation will occur.
We continue to study anatomy. Eg, giant scolopendra, which lives mostly in South America, nature has endowed with very “slender” and long legs. Their height reaches 2.5 cm or more.
The largest representatives living on European plain, recognized ringed centipedes, they can often be found in Crimea. The head of the insect, which looks more like a creepy monster from a nightmare or horror movie, is equipped with strong jaws full of poison.
Pictured is a giant scolopendra
This device is an excellent weapon and helps the centipede to hunt not only small insects, but also to attack bats, which are significantly larger in size than the scolopendra itself. The scolopendra allows the last pair of legs to attack large prey, which it uses as a brake - a kind of anchor.
As for color, here nature did not skimp on shades and painted centipedes in a wide variety of colors. bright colors. Insects come in red, copper, greenish, rich purple, cherry, yellow, turning into lemon.
As well as orange and other colors. However, coloration may vary depending on the habitat and age of the insect.
Character and lifestyle of scolopendra
Scolopendra does not have a friendly character; rather, it can be classified as an evil, dangerous and incredibly nervous species. Increased nervousness in centipedes is due to the fact that they are not endowed with visual acuity and color perception of pictures - the eyes of centipedes can only distinguish between bright light and complete darkness. That is why the centipede behaves extremely cautiously and is ready to attack anyone who disturbs it.
You should not tease a hungry centipede, because when it wants to eat, it is very aggressive. Running away from a centipede is not an easy task. The insect's agility and mobility are enviable. Among other things, the centipede is constantly hungry, she chews something all the time, and all because digestive system, which she has a primitive structure.
Interesting fact: Researchers once observed how Chinese red centipede Having dined on a bat, she digested a third of the meal in less than three hours.
Most people, due to ignorance, have the false idea that scolopendra has potent poison and therefore dangerous for humans. But this is fundamentally wrong. Basically, the venom of these insects is no more dangerous than the venom of a bee or wasp.
Although in fairness it is worth noting that pain syndrome bite of a large scolopendra comparable in pain to 20 bee stings produced simultaneously. Scolopendra bite represents a serious danger to humans if he is inclined to allergic reactions.
If a person is bitten by a scolopendra, then a tight tourniquet should be applied above the wound, and the bite site should be treated with an alkaline solution of baking soda. After providing the first medical care you should go to the hospital to rule out the development of allergies.
This is interesting: People who have unbearable constant pain a molecule extracted from the venom of centipedes may help. Scientists from Australia were able to find a cure for pain in the poison contained in Chinese centipedes. Now a substance is produced from the venom of predatory arthropods, which is used in a number of analgesics and antidotes.
Scolopendra nutrition
It was already mentioned earlier that scolopendras are predators. In the wild, these insects prefer small invertebrate fauna for lunch, but giant individuals include small rodents in their diet. They also prefer frogs as a French delicacy.
Advice: Ringed scolopendra compared to its relatives from the tropics, it has less dangerous poison. Therefore, lovers who want to keep these cute centipedes at home should first buy a centipede that is less dangerous to humans. Then, having become better acquainted with this God's creation, you can purchase pet larger in size. Scolopendras are cannibals by nature, so keep domestic centipedes preferably in different containers, otherwise the stronger one will dine on the weaker relative.
In captivity, scolopendras have little choice, so they will gladly try everything that a caring owner offers them. They happily eat crickets, cockroaches, and mealworms.
In general, for a medium-sized insect it is enough to eat and fill up with 5 crickets. An interesting observation: if the scolopendra refuses to eat, it means it’s time to molt.
Since we are talking about molting, you should know that scolopendra can change the old exoskeleton for a new one, especially in cases where it decides to grow in size. The fact is that the exoskeleton consists of chitin, and this component is not naturally endowed with the gift of stretching - it is inanimate, so it turns out that if you want to become bigger, you need to throw off your old clothes and change them to new ones. Young animals molt once every two months, and adults twice a year.
Reproduction and lifespan of scolopendra
Ringed scolopendra becomes sexually mature by 2 years. Adults prefer to perform the act of copulation in the silence of the night, so that no one disturbs their idyll. During sexual intercourse, the male is able to produce a cocoon, which is located in the last segment.
The photo shows a clutch of scolopendra eggs
The seminal fluid, the spermatophore, collects in this cocoon. The female crawls up to her chosen one and draws seminal fluid into the opening called the genital opening. After mating, a few months later, the mother scolopendra lays eggs. She is capable of laying up to 120 eggs. After this, a little more time should pass - 2-3 months and “cute” babies will be born.
Scolopendras are not particularly tender, and since they are prone to cannibalism, often after giving birth the mother can taste her offspring, and the children, having become a little stronger, are able to feast on their mother.
Therefore, when the centipede has given birth to juveniles, it is better to transfer them to another terrarium. In captivity, centipedes can delight their owners for 7-8 years, and after that they leave this world.
Scolopendra is an amazing armored insect belonging to the genus of labiopods or arthropod centipedes. Who are the “lipopods”? This is a subclass of insects, also called chilopoda, usually observed in them a large number of legs, like those of the centipede.
Appearance and varieties
Scolopendra resembles a long, thick worm, usually brown or black, sometimes with a hint of green, whose body consists of segments (about twenty or more pieces) and has many pairs of legs extending from each such segment. The first pair of legs of the scolopendra are the so-called maxillae., which are designed to grab the victim.
Externally, centipedes of different species may differ slightly in color or functional features. For example, at blind scolopendra very weak jaws, so it will not even be able to bite through human skin, although a bird that inadvertently eats such an insect will receive a sufficient amount of poison to soon die. U centipede flycatchers, on the contrary, the eyes are very developed, and the adaptability to a dry climate is higher than that of the others.
And here is the Vietnamese scolopendra ostigmus(Otostigmus aculeatus) emits a luminescent liquid with the smell of phosphorus, which causes quite severe burns. There are also such African centipedes(rhisids, alipes), which are able to use their hind legs to make a chirping sound that scares away other insects and enemies, but has no effect on representatives of their species.
Distribution in nature and habitats
Now scientists know about six hundred species of centipedes. They like warm climate, therefore they live mainly in the tropics (for example, in Australia), but sometimes they are found in colder climates.
The largest representative of its species is giant centipede with a body length of about 30 cm. She lives in the western part South America, as well as in Thailand and Jamaica.
Smaller insects also live in colder climates; for example, the Crimean fauna includes a large number of these centipedes. Scolopendras try to spend less time on the surface of the earth, especially in dry climates, since deficiencies in the covering of their bodies do not allow them to retain vital moisture inside for a long time - it evaporates very quickly. This is why they prefer moist, shady places.
Scolopendra is popularly called the centipede. These arthropods can have from 15 to 171 body segments, or from 30 to 342 legs. But they always have an odd number of pairs of legs, so in reality centipedes do not occur in nature.
Scolopendras live much longer than most arthropods. Many species live up to 2-3 years. Surprisingly, they grow throughout life.
Poison and hunting
Scolopendras are predators. The front jaws of this insect are connected to poisonous glands, so that when capturing a victim, they release this poison into its body. The venom contains substances such as histamine, acetylocholine, serotonin, thermolysins, hyaluronidase, but it is always used sparingly: scolopendra does not bite everyone.
Hunts this insect can both underground, climbing into numerous passages dug by other insects and animals, and on the ground, attacking grasshoppers and even frogs. By the way, they can also fight among themselves, and the fight most often goes to the death!
Note! Even if the centipede does not bite a person, but only crawls across the skin, the mucus it leaves behind can cause severe burns (this applies to the ringed subspecies)!
A bite from a tropical centipede can be fatal (over the last hundred years, only three such deaths have been officially registered), but if you encounter this militant insect in our latitudes and receive a bite, you should not worry too much, since the poisonous liquid of these species causes only only swelling of the skin and pain that goes away after a couple of hours. However, you still need to be careful and not expose yourself to unnecessary danger when encountering a centipede: you can never be 100% sure that a bite will not cause a fever and an increase in temperature or a severe allergic reaction.
How to protect yourself from scolopendra bites and what to do after?
Since this insect does not potentially “hunt” people, you should not underestimate it at the moment of fright: in a state of fear, it can just begin to bite, defending itself. Based on this, anyone can protect themselves from its bites by following a few simple rules:
- When camping with a tent, carefully check its insides before going to bed.
- Close the tents tightly so that no insects can get inside.
- In the morning, carefully inspect your clothes and shoes if you spent the night in the forest or in other natural places where the described centipedes may be encountered.
- If you decide to keep a centipede as a pet, do not touch it with your bare hands, use gloves or tongs.
If you still cannot avoid the bite, take the following actions:
- Wash the affected area with water and disinfectant.
- Apply a sterile dressing.
- If the poison causes severe pain, apply a cold compress.
- Provide rest to the person who has been bitten.
- Be sure to make sure you drink plenty of fluids.
- Go to the hospital.
Reproduction and lifespan
A favorable time for multi-legged insects to reproduce is mid-spring. Only the female can participate in the process of fertilization of eggs (this phenomenon is called “parthenogenesis”): she lays eggs and after hatching small centipedes, which at first look like worms, crawls away after a few days.
On a note! Scolopendra's life in natural conditions has not been fully studied, but in captivity (in an apartment) this insect lives up to seven years!
Scolopendra in dreams and on the body...
On a note. If you dream of a scolopendra, take a close look at the people who surround you: perhaps among them there is your hidden enemy or a person who is posing as someone else, that is, simply deceiving you.
Moreover, a large number of such insects in a dream foreshadows the loss of money, and if you crush one of them, this portends victory over the enemy (enemies). And if you saw in a dream how centipedes bite you, this means that someone is “vampiring” your vital energy in fact.
Interesting! A scolopendra tattoo usually means “Careful, I’m dangerous, don’t come near me!”
Video
The giant centipede belongs to the genus of labiopods, the centipede family. These are nocturnal arthropods that most lives are spent underground. They are loners, but if they encounter their own kind, they usually scatter in different directions.
IN in rare cases show aggression and bite each other, in this case the meeting ends in death for one of the parties. Females are considered especially poisonous. 
At night, centipedes go out to hunt for invertebrates and their larvae; there are known cases of attacks on lizards, small birds, even bats. They kill the victim by plunging their poisonous jaws into its body and wrapping it around their long body.
The breeding season is late spring - early summer, usually these creatures lay eggs after mating, some species can reproduce without the participation of males.
Natural enemies in nature include cats, foxes, rats, rooks, geckos and snakes.
Appearance
The body length of the giant scolopendra is on average 26 cm, it is divided into a head and a long body consisting of many (21-23) segments. On the head there are jaws equipped with poisonous spines.
Her eyes have a simple structure, so they see poorly; her vision is replaced by touch and smell. Each segment of the body has a pair of legs; the rear pair drags, clinging to clods of earth, thus helping with movement.
The color depends on the habitat: from lemon yellow to red-brown, in some countries the color can be green or blue. 
Habitat
As already mentioned, scolopendras spend most of their time underground in a hole, besides this, their favorite places- shadow under stones, fallen trees, in rocks. They prefer to live in subtropical and tropical climate with good air humidity. Giant individuals live in South America, on Jamaica, and the island of Trinidad.
Types of centipedes
Ringed- 14-17 cm in length, can be black, olive, orange and brownish. The species is distributed in Turkey, Spain, Italy, the south of France, Israel, Crimea, and North Africa. 
- up to 18 cm, lives in Central America, on the Virgin and Hawaiian Islands, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, the Antilles, and northern South America. Color: black head, dark green body with a blue tint, other individuals have a red head, olive body. 
- up to 20 cm, color: burgundy with brown, yellow-green, orange, red. Live in North America.
- up to 13 cm, orange, yellow or olive in color, head and limbs red, common in the USA and Algeria. 
- up to 13 cm, in pet stores it is presented as “Texas tiger”, “striped tiger”. Lives in North America, has a bright, varied color. 
- about 20 cm, inhabits the tropics of Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, orange-brown color. 
Did you know? Scientists of antiquity, such as Aristotle, Claudius Aelian, Ulysses Androvandi, described the scolopendra as a terrible sea monster with hairy nostrils the size of a whale.
In captivity, centipedes live for about six to seven years, reproduce well, but it is advisable to remove the young, as cases of cannibalism have been observed.
Nutrition
Centipede diet:
- defrosted mice,
- crickets, grasshoppers, cockroaches;
- shrimp, scallops;
- small fish.
Important! At home, scolopendra is practically omnivorous, but it cannot be given more than five, for example, crickets per week, due to its digestive characteristics.
Arrangement of the terrarium
For the ward, you need to choose a terrarium that will significantly exceed its length, the approximate dimensions, not counting the height of the soil, are 30x40x30 cm. Peat and sand are used as soil, preferably the presence of living plants, you can place a couple of large stones and driftwood.
The top of the terrarium must be closed so that the pet does not escape. It is imperative to place a container of water; the depth should allow the centipede to submerge in the water, but not drown. Content temperature: +25 °C...+27 °C. To maintain the required humidity, part of the substrate must be moistened regularly.
Rules
Scolopendra is not a pet that can be caressed, stroked and squeezed. Without good eyesight, she may perceive you as an enemy and bite. Its bite is not fatal to humans, but very painful. Its venom causes swelling, temperature and fever symptoms. The mucus that it secretes from the glands is also poisonous and causes skin burns.
Important! Since the effect of the poison is destroyed under the influence high temperatures and ethers, you should immediately treat a bite or burn with alcohol, you can disinfect it with a solution of potassium permanganate and apply a sterile bandage, then be sure to see a doctor.
Scolopendra and man
Centipede venom is used in Chinese medicine to treat rheumatic pain, skin and kidney diseases. In the cuisine of some Asian and African countries, scolopendra, strung on a stick and fried, is a delicacy for tourists and a common dish for locals.
There have been no reported deaths from arthropod bites, except for one case in the Philippines. There, a seven-year-old child died from the poison; the bite hit his head. From this we can conclude: a danger still exists if the victim has a weakened or insufficiently strong immune system, he is susceptible to allergic reactions if he is not provided with qualified assistance in a timely manner.
Did you know? In China there is a legend about the dragon king Lung Wang. One day he fell ill, and no one could heal him until one of the healers discovered a centipede behind the dragon's scales. The doctor removed the centipede and anointed the burn with ointment; as a sign of gratitude, the dragon king promised to send people favorable weather. Until now, Healing Day is celebrated every year in China; during the holiday, a dragon dance is always performed.
A passion for exotic things can lead to undesirable consequences, so before getting pets like scolopendra, you should think carefully. If you do decide, follow safety precautions in your behavior with such a pet “animal”.
Scolopendras are not the most pleasant creatures. And no one is safe from meeting them. Many species of these arthropods are poisonous, and some have adapted to live very close to us - in apartments.
Forcipules
Scientists have counted 8,000 species of various scolopendras living in the most different corners planets. These centipedes are the only arthropods in which the legs of the first segment are not intended for walking. It's about about special appendages, the so-called forcipules, which have poisonous claws.
That's why they appearance causes people a well-deserved fear. Writers and screenwriters turn to the image of centipedes to make their works more creepy. Eg, American writer William Seward Burroughs in the novels "Cities of the Red Night", "The Space of Dead Roads" and " Western Lands", called centipede an absolute evil. The movie "King Kong" (2005) shows how huge centipedes attacked travelers.
Poisonous creature
Depending on the species and age, a scolopendra bite can have a variety of consequences for a person, up to fatal outcome. Moreover, females are more poisonous than males.
Fortunately, deadly centipedes are not found in Russia. But scolopendras, which live in the Crimea, in particular on Tarkhankut, can indeed sting very painfully.
“A centipede about thirteen centimeters crawled into my sneaker at Cape Sarych,” said local Alexander. - I tore off my shoes in an instant from the pain without untying the laces. A bee bite compared to a scolopendra is about the same as a mosquito bite compared to a wasp. The temperature remained high for two days.”
Is it a centipede?
How many legs does the centipede, sometimes called the centipede, actually have? Judging by the name, which has taken root among the common people, forty. Meanwhile, depending on the species, these arthropods can have from 15 to 171 body segments and the same number of pairs of legs. However, in any case, they always have an odd number of pairs of legs, so in reality centipedes do not occur in nature.
Predators
By nature, all centipedes are predators. Small - feed on other invertebrates, mollusks and annelids. More large species, living in the tropics, are able to eat a frog and even small birds. Having attacked the victim, centipedes wrap themselves around the prey and wait for the poison to begin to act. Only after this do they start eating.
Even those centipedes that live in our homes - Scutigera coleoptrata - are also predators, and they feed on flies, cockroaches, spiders, bedbugs and other domestic insects. They are often called common flycatchers. These are, as a rule, four-centimeter, 15-segmented centipedes that run very quickly from people. They can only be removed with sticky traps or by eliminating moisture in the house.
Long-lived arthropods
Compared to most other arthropods, centipedes are long-lived. There are many species that live for two to three years. This is also surprising because centipedes grow throughout their lives, unlike other insects in which growth stops with puberty.
One more unique ability these creatures are regenerating lost legs, for example, after a bird attack. True, new pairs grow after molting. In this case, the regenerated legs are shorter than the old legs.
Loving mothers
Usually arthropod insects, with rare exceptions, are irresponsible parents. It is believed that maternal love is inherent in more developed animals.
However, scientists were surprised to discover that scolopendras have maternal instinct. For example, soil scolopendras Geophilomorpha and tropical look centipedes Scolopendromorpha guard the egg mass until the larvae emerge. However, here too scolopendras have amazing properties, practically not found in the rest of the animal world. Some of them reproduce without the participation of a male - that is, parthenogenetically. These are the centipedes that live in Crimea.
Giant scolopendras
On the islands of Jamaica and Trinidad, as well as in some places in South America, they live giant centipedes, which can have a length of 26 cm. However, a thirty-centimeter centipede was found in Australia. It is known about these insects that they eat for a very long time so as not to harm themselves by overeating and often take breaks in the process of devouring the victim. After eating, these centipedes carefully clean their jaws with their antennae.
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