Subject: this bug dropped into my pond
Geographic location of the bug: Noosa, Queensland Australia
Date: 12/08/2018
Time: 06:57 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Found this guy on the surface of my pond – guessing it dropped from the tree above??
How you want your letter signed: Fi
Dear Fi,
Your image is of the partial remains of a Giant Centipede, possibly Ethmostigmus rubripes. According to The Australian Museum: “This is the largest native Australian centipede and is a member of the scolopendrid family.” The site also states: “The Giant Centipede ranges in colour from dark blue-green-brown to orange-yelllow. It has black bands along the body and yellow legs and antenna. The body is long and flatterned with 25 or 27 body segments and 21 or 23 pairs of legs. The first pair of legs behind the head are modified claws which curve around its head and can deliver venom into its prey. The venom is toxic to both mammals and insects, but does not appear to be strong enough to kill large animals quickly.” We can only speculate on why you only discovered the posterior remains. Perhaps a predator like a bird or lizard ate the front end of the Giant Centipede.
Thanks. Yes, that makes sense.
Fiona McComb
This came out of my face after a year n half! Wtf is this world coming too and what is in our food?!