A centipede that lives... in the ear. Society. Information and analytical portal Inpress.ua

Centipede bite: what does it look like, is it dangerous for humans?

Scolopendra is very reminiscent of a long and thick worm, black or brown with splashes of green.
However, the color of some centipedes may differ depending on the species. The body length of the scolopendra is 10-15 cm, but sometimes it can reach 35 cm. The body of the scolopendra consists of a head and a long body, which in turn consists of twenty (and sometimes more) segments, interconnected by flexible and protected exoskeleton. Each segment has its own pair of legs. The first pair of legs of the scolopendra are called the mandibles; they serve the scolopendra to grab potential prey and send it directly into its mouth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upload

The last pair of legs of the scolopendra is also different from the rest; it is large in size and serves as a kind of anchor for the insect, at the same time helping with movement through earthly burrows.

The head of the scolopendra is like a plate with eyes, two antennae and a pair of jaws. The scolopendra's compound eyes provide it with excellent vision and good orientation in space.

The bright color of centipedes indicates the poisonous nature of the insect. An insect bite can be compared to a wasp or bee sting. In terms of pain, one scolopendra bite can be equated to 20 bee stings. The poison does not lead to the death of a person, but the danger of death still exists if a person is allergic to scolopendra venom.

In the photo - a scolopendra bite mark

There are many opinions in the literature about the real sizes of centipedes. According to known facts, the largest scolopendra is located in Brazil. Its body length is 33 cm. Many claim that the bite of a giant scolopendra is fatal, but this is only known from words.

In Russia, you can meet scolopendra only in the regions - the Caucasus, Rostov region, Krasnodar region, Crimea. There are small individuals there - up to 14 cm, mostly ringed scolopendra, which goes out hunting at night and is not particularly aggressive towards humans. You can meet it completely by accident, for example, in a tent, in a sleeping bag, or while collecting firewood for a fire. In such cases, the scolopendra may begin to defend itself and bite you; its plans did not include a targeted attack on a person.

The sting of a scolopendra is comparable to the sting of 20 bees at the same time, it is quite painful. Scolopendra venom acts immediately, leaving the skin red and painful.

It is best to prevent the centipede from biting or touching human skin with its legs, but if this happens, follow these rules:

wash the area of contact or damage with soap and water, disinfect with alcohol;
apply a sterile bandage for 12 hours, then change to a fresh one;
give the victim plenty of clean water to drink;
provide peace;
do not drink alcoholic beverages, they speed up the metabolism and the effect of poison;
seek help from a doctor.

Pregnant women, children, the elderly, allergy sufferers, and heart patients should urgently go to the hospital, otherwise the outcome can be tragic, even death.

Scolopendra - description, structure, characteristics. What does scolopendra look like?

The body of the scolopendra consists of a head and a long torso, which in turn consists of twenty (and sometimes more) segments connected to each other by flexible and protected exoskeleton. Each segment has its own pair of legs. The first pair of legs of the scolopendra are called the mandibles; they serve the scolopendra to grab potential prey and send it directly into its mouth.

The head of the scolopendra is like a plate with eyes, two antennae and a pair of jaws. The scolopendra's compound eyes provide it with excellent vision and good orientation in space.

Home keeping of scolopendra

Terrariums are used for breeding centipedes in captivity. This is a very mobile insect and at the same time aggressive. They live in captivity for up to seven years. If you have no experience in breeding centipedes, then it is best to study the literature and research all the safety precautions for their maintenance and breeding.

Scolopendra has a flexible pleural zone. Thanks to this fact, it can squeeze into the smallest cracks of any rocks and soil in order to hide securely. This centipede is the greatest escape specialist. When choosing a terrarium, pay attention to the length, width and height. Read the breeding guides; they contain the most complete information about such necessary things as buying a terrarium for centipedes. The soil must be moist and suitable for digging holes. There should be enough humidity, but it shouldn't be too wet.

Scolopendras are aggressive, but if you introduce crustacean woodlice, they will not touch them, since they do not perceive them as food.

Basically, for all types of centipedes, a temperature of 27 degrees is suitable. If you are getting a special species, consult with a specialist regarding temperature and housing conditions.

At home, it is advisable to feed scolopendra with grasshoppers or mealworms; overfeeding is not recommended. Usually they are fed 1-2 times a week. Scolopendra up to 15 cm in size will be satisfied with 5 crickets. Lack of appetite may mean that the insect is not hungry or is preparing for another molt.

Scolopendra is a centipede, or to be more precise, an arthropod. They live in all climatic regions, but the giant scolopendra can only be found in the tropics; the large scolopendra especially likes to live in the Seychelles, the local climate suits it best.

These creatures inhabit forests, mountain peaks, dry hot deserts, and rocky caves. As a rule, varieties inhabiting temperate zones do not reach large sizes. Their length ranges from 1 cm to 10 cm.

And scolopendras, who prefer to live in tropical resort areas, are simply gigantic, by the standards of centipedes, in size - up to 30 cm - you must admit, impressive! In this sense, the residents of our country are luckier, because, for example, the Crimean centipedes do not reach such impressive sizes.

Being predatory representatives of this species of centipede, they live alone, and they do not like living in a large and friendly family. It is rare to meet a centipede during the day, because it prefers a nocturnal lifestyle and it is after sunset that it feels like the mistress of our planet.

Pictured is the Crimean scolopendra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=https:accounts.google.comServiceLogin

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.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with: Drosophila trap from a bottle

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 over unprotected skin, severe irritation will occur.

We continue to study anatomy. For example, nature has endowed the giant scolopendra, which lives mostly in South America, with very “slender” and long legs. Their height reaches 2.5 cm or more.

The largest representatives living on the European plain are recognized as ringed centipedes; they can often be found in the 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 much larger in size than the centipede 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 the centipede in a variety of 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.

What does scolopendra eat?

As you probably already guessed, our today's heroine is a notorious predator of the insect world; other smaller insects act as a source of food for centipedes: earthworms, beetles, grasshoppers, etc.

Scolopendra caught a grasshopper.

But the giant centipede can easily attack small frogs, birds, small snakes and even. To catch the latter, the centipede, holding the surface with its claws, climbs to the ceiling where it sleeps, then attacks the bat with its front claws, simultaneously wrapping itself around the victim and injecting poison into it.

Reproduction of scolopendra

Scolopendras become sexually mature by the second year of life. The act of copulation itself usually takes place in the silence of the night, so that no one can disturb the love idyll of a centipede couple. During sexual intercourse, the male produces a special cocoon, located in the last segment of his body; this cocoon contains seminal fluid - a spermatophore. During mating, the female draws this fluid into her genital opening, and a few months after mating she lays eggs/larvae. Moreover, up to 120 eggs are released per clutch, but not all survive. After a few more months, small ones emerge from the scolopendra larvae.

Types of centipedes: photos and names

There are about 600 species of these insects in nature, but we will describe the most interesting of them.

As you probably already guessed from the name, this is the largest scolopendra, its body length reaches 35 cm. It is also the most dangerous, since its bite can be fatal to humans. The giant scolopendra lives in the tropics of South America.

In our country it is better known as Crimean scolopendra, since its habitat is Southern Europe, including our Ukrainian Crimea. The Crimean scolopendra is not as large (and not as dangerous) as the giant one, its body length is on average 10 cm. The ringed scolopendra has a golden yellow color and is a very fast insect that eats other smaller insects.

The Californian scolopendra lives in the arid regions of the Southern United States and Mexico. Its body length reaches 20 cm. It is distinguished by its bright orange color. Although its venom is not as toxic as that of the giant scolopendra, it can nevertheless easily cause inflammation of the skin in humans upon contact with the poisonous limbs of this centipede.

Scolopendra Lucas also lives in Southern Europe. Its body is rusty in color and its head is heart-shaped.

The smallest and most harmless of centipedes, its body length is only 3 to 6 cm. Also, unlike its dangerous relatives, it has no poison and, as a result, does not pose any threat to humans. It lives in southern Europe, the Mediterranean and also in North Africa. It got its name because of its habit of settling in people’s houses, and although, as we have already noted, this scolopendra does not pose a threat, nevertheless, its presence in the house is not at all desirable. The domestic scolopendra feeds on small insects, usually flies, which is why it is even nicknamed the flycatcher.

This representative of the scolopendra kingdom lives in Asia, in particular China, and also in Australia. It is distinguished by its red color, which is why it is also known as the Chinese red centipede. Interesting fact: the inventive Chinese have learned to use the venom of the Chinese scolopendra for medical purposes; in the treatment of various skin diseases, it promotes the healing process in small doses.

Centipede lifestyle: nutrition, reproduction

Like many other centipedes, centipedes lead a truly predatory lifestyle. In the wild they feed on small invertebrates, and in some cases large individuals can eat mice, snakes, lizards, frogs and even bats!

Reproduction of centipedes begins in the second year of life. In males, a cocoon with seminal fluid, a spermatophore, is formed in the last ring of the body. At the moment of mating, the female draws fluid into her genitals, and after a few months lays eggs. One clutch can contain up to 120 larvae, not all of which survive. After a few months, the eggs hatch into larvae.

The lifespan of centipedes is about 7 years, which is quite a lot for a representative of arthropods, so they can be considered long-livers.

The ringed scolopendra becomes sexually mature by the age of 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.

We invite you to read: What do nits look like on a child’s hair?

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.

Many in childhood heard scary stories about how an earwig in a person’s ear gnaws through the eardrum, makes its way into the brain and lays eggs in it. The appearance of the insect is truly terrifying and is capable of instilling horror in impressionable individuals. And the very name “earwig” makes you think about the consequences of contact with such an unusual representative of insects.

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.

Tip: Ringed scolopendra

Compared to its relatives from the tropics, it has a 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 gotten to know this God's creation better, you can purchase a larger pet. Centipedes are cannibals by nature, so keep pet 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.

Is scolopendra dangerous for humans?

Regarding the danger of scolopendra to humans, the giant scolopendra that lives in the jungles of South America is especially dangerous; its bite can actually cause severe poisoning, even death. As for the Crimean scolopendra living in our country, although it is not fatal, nevertheless, you should stay away from it.

Symptoms of a scolopendra bite (in particular our Crimean one):

elevated temperature (up to 39 C),
severe pain comparable to a bite,
skin burn,
general poisoning of the body.

This discomfort lasts about two days.

Interesting fact: female scolopendras are more poisonous and dangerous than males.

What to do if you are bitten by a scolopendra

First of all, of course, it is best to simply prevent the scolopendra from biting you. She herself is unlikely to specifically attack a person, but she can bite in a state of fright and self-defense. Very often, scolopendras have a bad habit of crawling into tourists’ tents, so to avoid unwanted guests:

use a closed tent with a zipper, and even such a tent should not be left open unattended.
Inspect your tent thoroughly before going to bed.
In the morning, check your clothes and things for the presence of scolopendras, they like to arrange a shelter for themselves in these items.
Also remain vigilant when turning over stones or collecting dry branches, as centipedes may be hiding there.

If it does happen that scolopendra runs across a person’s skin, leaving a mark in the form of an inflamed stripe, measures should be taken immediately:

wash the affected area with soap and water or disinfect with.
then apply a sterile bandage.
to drink a lot of water.
provide peace to the victim.
Do not drink alcohol under any circumstances (it speeds up the body’s metabolism, and with it the effect of scolopendra poison).
It is highly advisable to consult a doctor for professional medical help.

If a scolopendra has bitten a pregnant woman, a child, an elderly person, a person suffering from cardiovascular diseases or prone to allergic reactions, then immediately going to the hospital for professional medical help is mandatory!

Giant scolopendra in the desert, video

And in conclusion, an interesting film about scolopendra.

The well-known expression “cockroaches in the head,” which indicates certain characteristics of a person, sometimes becomes a harsh reality. True, sometimes other insects can become an alternative to cockroaches, for example, a centipede that settled in the ear of a Chinese resident, reports the information and analytical portal

Most people who accidentally come into contact with insects or arthropods quickly forget about the unpleasant sensations. But a resident of China will remember his meeting with a centipede for the rest of his life, reports the Federal Post news publication.

According to the Rocket News 24 website, a man named Che woke up at night with severe ear pain and the feeling that something was moving in his auditory organ. The frightened Chinese man woke up his neighbor and told him about the strange symptoms.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytadvertiseru

At the medical facility, the Chinese described his complaints to the doctors and asked them to figure out what was happening to him as soon as possible. Aesculapians who examined Che's affected ear came to the conclusion that there was a foreign body in his auditory organ.

Doctors asked the patient if he had a habit of placing small objects in his ears. Having received a negative answer, the doctors decided to make sure that the diagnosis was correct: one of them armed himself with tweezers and carefully inserted the instrument into the external auditory canal.

During this manipulation, a hospital employee came across a foreign body, fixed it, and pulled it out. Imagine the amazement of all those present when a wriggling centipede appeared from the Chinese man’s ear.

It turned out that the arthropod that lived in Che’s damp room chose his auditory organ as a burrow and “settled” in a new place of residence in the middle of the night.

Unfortunately, this story did not end with the removal of the centipede. After some time, the Chinese again sought medical help: he complained that his ear and neck were constantly going numb.

After an additional examination, doctors stated that the reason for the man’s deteriorating health was arthropod venom remaining in the external auditory canal. Otolaryngologists also suggested that while the centipede was in the ear, it could have injured the eardrum.

After treatment of the auditory organ, Che was taken home by ambulance. Now the Chinese will have to improve their health with medicines prescribed by specialists.

We suggest you read: House centipedes in a private house or apartment: how to get rid of them, where they come from, what harm they can cause

Last year, a similar incident occurred with a woman - a spider was in her ear for five days.

The color of scolopendra can be different, depending on the species, they are gray, brown, with a yellowish tint. Partially the insect may have a greenish, orange and blue tint. With age, an individual can change colors; pigmentation depends on its habitat.

Scolopendra is soft-bodied and dense in the back. The plate body is connected using a flexible membrane. The exoskeleton consists of chitin. This layer is inanimate and does not grow. To continue to grow, the centipede must undergo a molt.

Is the Chinese red centipede dangerous? If it is dangerous, what are the symptoms and how to treat it or can it kill?

Well, something like this:
The giant scolopendra can be truly dangerous to humans. This creature can reach 25 cm in length. Not only the bite of a giant scolopendra is poisonous, but also a simple touch to human skin. Its body consists of 21-23 segments; it can be conditionally divided into the head and torso.
Each of the scolopendra's 36-40 legs contains poison, so a disturbed creature running across a person's skin leaves serious burns.
A person who has had such contact with any tropical scolopendra is guaranteed severe swelling of the contact site, fever and temperature above 38. The swelling can last a week or two; upon contact with the most poisonous specimens, tissue necrosis may begin. There are also cases where scolopendra venom caused paralysis, muscle spasms, vomiting and interruptions in heart function.
There is a scale for the pain of insect bites, with a bee sting taken as the starting point on the scale. So, contact with scolopendra is about 20 times more painful.
Scientists have already refuted the idea that a scolopendra bite can be fatal. However, if you come into contact with the venom of this creature, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Read also: Review of bedbug repellers - what types are there and their effect

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

Scolopendra is an armored arthropod that belongs to the genus of labiopods, also called Chilopoda or centipede arthropods. It lives in a variety of climates, but prefers tropical climates. Various individuals can live in the desert, mountains, forests, limestone caves and many other places. In those regions where it is not too warm, the centipede grows from a centimeter to ten centimeters in size, but in the tropics an individual can reach 28 centimeters in length!

These insects live alone. The insect's legs end in poisonous spines. This is precisely why scolopendra, running across a person’s body, can cause irritation. The head includes a head plate with ocelli, a pair of antennae and venomous jaws. They are located under the head, but at the same time they are part of the body. The insect's forelimbs transform into fangs, with their help the scolopendra captures the victim. Each body segment has a pair of legs. The last legs are used during reproduction or as an anchor when capturing large prey.

Scolopendra is soft-bodied and dense in the back. The plate body is connected using a flexible membrane. The exoskeleton consists of chitin. This layer is inanimate and does not grow. To continue to grow, the centipede must undergo a molt.