Make way for the prickly-natured Scolopendra subspinipes, the biggest of three local centipedes, and the one known for their stinging bite. They are usually about five inches long, and are reddish-brown in color, though variations in color can occur. Damp and dark places are their preferred habitat, such as leaf litter, or under rocks or tent tarps. Normally terrestrial, they may burrow a bit, as I know only too well - I'm always on the lookout for them whenever I turn the compost pile. When the weather becomes overly wet or dry, they go slithering in search of alternate shelter. Venturing indoors, they seek out suitable areas which may include your shoes, clothing, or bedsheets. Oh my. I always shake out my sneakers and garden boots to be on the safe side. They are members of the Phylum Arthropoda, invertebrates characterized by their segmented bodies and jointed appendages. A pair of legs accompanies each of the twenty-one body segments of this solitary and nocturnal animal, making their "centipede" name a misnomer. They use their back legs to grasp and hold their prey, which includes insects, spiders, and worms, while they envenomate their hapless victims with their powerful jaws. Lucky for us, they rather scamper away, but will inflict a painful bite if bothered or threatened. Two puncture wounds mark their bite, which will hurt like the dickens. In some individuals, the venom may cause quite a bit of swelling, in which case a trip to the local medical facility is prudent.
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October 2014
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