new centipede picture
Hey there,
I’m sure you have enough, but this is a pretty good picture of what I believe is a multi-colored centipede. Identification based on other pictures on your website. Found originally in a door frame, but later in the garbage disposal. Hope you can use the picture.
Zac
Hi Zac,
Please, please tell me the poor centipede crawled out of the garbage disposal and went its merry way.
He is being temporarily held for observation, but should be released later today. Those guys are quick. He came flying out well before any damage occurred.
hope it doesn’t bite!!!
Hi Bugman!
LOVE your site. I’ll be visiting a lot! Can you tell me what this beast is? I can’t tell if it is a centipede or a millipede. He was scurrying across our patio here in Apex, North Carolina. Thanks!
Nancy Nice
Hi Nancy Nice,
The difference between Millipedes and Centipedes is that Centipedes have one pair of legs per segment and Millipedes have two pairs of legs per segment. We couldn’t locate a species name for your Millipede, so we contacted Eric Eaton. Here is his response: “It is a flat-backed millipede (Polydesmida order). Very pretty, but many species like this secrete a cyanide compound to defend themselves. As long as you don’t eat one or lick it, you should survive.”
Update: (01/20/2008) Millipede IDs
6/9/05 . Apex, NC. Apheloria tigana Chamberlin, 1939 (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae)
Rowland Shelley
North Carolina State Museum of Natural Science
the strangest bug i’ve ever seen in my life!
I was hiking at McConell’s Mills in Western Pennsylvania and happened across this bug sitting in the middle of the street. It appears to me to be some sort of beetle larva, but it’s SO big. It also had this fancy move it did when we touched its head with a stick – it would curl its tail under [which was soft like a catepillar's body] to quickly launch itself backward a few inches. Here it is pictured with my boyfriend’s finger [who, for scale, is 6'4"]. And here is another better picture of its face. I also have a video i took of it walking and doing its cool backwards launch maneuver, which you can have if you’re interested. PLEASE tell us what kind of bug this is. We’re absolutely dying to know. I almost regret not taking it home with me! I just hope it didn’t wander back into the middle of the road. Thanks!
Jen and Glenn
ps. We also found a bunch of these really pretty red and black millipedes, which i’ve included a picture of. They were about 4 inches long.
Hi Jen and Glenn,
You have just encounted a Hellgrammite, the larval form of the Dobsonfly. These curious larvae are prized by fishermen as bait. Your millipede is indeed quite beautiful.
Update: (01/20/2008) Millipede IDs
6/6/05 . W PA Narceus americanus .
Rowland Shelley
North Carolina State Museum of Natural Science
photo of house centipede
in case you might like to use it. thanks for your helpful site!
Jana
Thanks Jana,
It is one of the best photos for identification we have received of this terrifying, to so many people, and fascinating creature.
Mr. Bugman,
What a great site! I’ve had this bug in my house that I’ve never figured out. I finally ran into your site and found it! From your reply to another person, it is a house centipede. Sadly to say, the bug did not live over a day in an open container. It seemed like it was frozen the way it died; everything was stiff. I know you have tons of pictures already, but here’s a couple more when the bug was still alive. Anwyays..keep up the awesome work on your site.
Herbie – Tracy, California
Thanks for the new image Herbie. Because images and letters on our homepage are time sensitive, we always like getting new images of common critters so they will be prominently located at the top of our homepage where visitors with attention deficit syndrome can easily locate them without scrolling too far.
What’s this bug?
We sprayed our basement last night and this morning found this, probably dead…I haven’t checked…laying on my daughter’s play mats so I’d like to know what it is, and if it’s dangerous. Thanks! I have more pictures if needed. The bug is approximately 2 1/2 inches long, not including legs.
Cathie
“Mushroom Fluff!”
Hi Cathie,
The poor dead House Centipede is harmless to you and your daughter, though when they rapidly dart across the room, usually at night, they often startle people who tend to fear them. They are common enough in homes where they eagerly dispatch other unwanted household intruders by devouring them. They feast on roaches, flies, spiders and many other small invertebrates.
Rude Bug
Heyas!
I have seen several of these little creepy things. I live in Houston, TX right next to a bayou and have all kinds of bugs dropping by for tea. This one gave me a dirty look (and I think a middle finger). My brother says he thinks it is a silverfish but I think it might be a type of centipede. Either way, it was rather rude! Any idea what it is?
Thanks,
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Poor, harmless, dead House Centipede never did anything to harm anyone.
Millipedes? Help…
Dear Bugman,
I recently moved into an large, old house in Italy and have been overrun by a millipede-like bug. Approximately 20 of these appear every day and seem to prefer affixing themselves to the ceiling. I have been blasting them daily with bugspray which is reducing their numbers, but would like to find their lair and get rid of them completely. Any advice….?
Thanks
Dom
Hi Dom,
You do have millipedes. They like damp conditions, and other than being a nuisance, they are not harmful. Populations tend to rise and fall with seasonal and weather conditions, and the drier days of summer should see the numbers decrease. Millipedes also do not wander far from damp ground, and finding them on the ceiling might be a sign of rotting wood in the walls. Sorry, I can’t give you any erradication advice.
Update: (01/20/2008) Millipede IDs
2/3/05 . Probably a representative of the Julidae (Julida) which are common in Europe .
Rowland Shelley
North Carolina State Museum of Natural Science
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