They look prehistoric. They make goose bumps break out on
your skin. They move lightening quick, leaving most people screaming and
running for cover. They have a reputation matched by no other and their bite
packs a wallop. No, this is not something out of a horror movie…and it’s not
Halloween time. I’m talking about the giant centipedes of the Caribbean!
Living in the Caribbean comes with its fair share of
hazards: traffic congestion, power outages, hurricanes….and centipedes! These
bugs are a force to be reckoned with. A mere smack with a shoe or a full can of
insecticide won’t do you any good. But how much do you really know about these
alien looking creatures?
Well, ok, for starters they have a giant scientific name:
Scolopendra gigantean. That’s quite a
mouthful. Let’s stick to calling them giant centipedes. These creatures live in
the warm and moist areas of the world. They are found mainly in the South
American Amazon and parts of the Caribbean, namely Trinidad and Tobago and
Jamaica and, of course, here in Sint Maarten/St. Martin. Typically found in
deep, moist leaf litter, their bodies dry out quickly if they are exposed to
sun or wind. These predatory carnivores can grow to a length of thirty-five
centimeters and are known for their climbing ability and speed. Who hasn’t had
nightmares for days after seeing the mad dash of one of these beasts across the
kitchen floor? You spend days wondering where it went and when it will come
back.
Contrary to belief, these centipedes don’t have one
hundred legs. Centipedes get their name from “centi” meaning hundred, and “ped”
meaning foot. In reality they have
usually only forty jointed legs that are tinted yellow. All centipede species
have odd number pair of legs: that is to say a species may have 17 pairs or 51
pairs of legs, never 50 pairs of legs. That means you can’t find a centipede
that has exactly 100 legs! Centipedes are invertebrates; they don’t have a
backbone. Their maroon body is segmented, each having a pair of legs.
The head is the business end of this animal and contains
a mouth, antennae and pincers. These pincers are used for defense as well as
capturing prey. And these pinches pack one heck of a punch! These pincers
inject venom that can paralyze a smaller victim. The poison injected is toxic
to humans, but fortunately not sufficient to usually cause death. The bite of
the giant centipede can, however cause chills, fever, nausea and severe pain.
For most people, a centipede bite is harmless, resulting in a painful sting and
symptoms that pass after a few hours. *‘Mild as a bee sting at the least, the
pain is worse the larger the centipede. Small puncture wounds may be scene at
the location of the bite. Swelling usually occurs with bites, even mild ones.
More severe symptoms include headache, heart palpitations, nausea, vomiting,
anxiety and lymphangitis, a painful swelling of the lymph nodes. The
primary care for a bite is to wash the area with soap and water. Never use
alcohol. Use ice packs to reduce any
swelling. People who have insect allergies should monitor themselves closely
following a centipede bite and may need to contact emergency medical services
in the event of more severe symptoms.’ {*Information courtesy of webmd.com.}
Also, they can also pinch with their hindmost legs, so they should just not be
handled. Realistically, although aggressive, most giant centipedes are pretty
shy and will back away if given the chance.
Giant centipedes usually eat smaller bugs and are quite
the scavengers. They’ll eat the remains of other animals. They can also be
quite impressive hunters. They are mainly nocturnal and as mentioned can be
swift when descending on their victims. By using stealth, they have been known
to hunt down and being able to disable and consume mice, frogs, lizards and
birds. Amazingly, they have even been observed catching bats in caves, while
they fly by! This creature has proven to be quite clever. The centipede goes
into the caves, making its way up the wall of the cave. It grips the stony
ceiling with its two hind legs, dangling the rest of its body beneath it. It
waves back and forth so it can come across a bat flying by. When finding one,
it grabs it from midair and paralyses it with a bite. Within seconds the bat is
disabled and the centipede can eat it within a very short period of time. When
done, it climbs down and slithers out of the cave.
Here’s a surprising fact: Did you know that female
centipedes can actually be quite attentive mothers? Seems strange, doesn’t
it? Once a female centipede has been
fertilized, she’ll deposit her eggs; usually fifteen to sixty at a time, into
holes within the soil, sealing it back up with dirt to mature. The female giant
centipede shows parental care by guarding and licking the eggs to prevent
fungal infections. The female centipede will sometimes continue to guard her
young, until they're ready to leave the nest. When the young hatch, they go
through various molts as they grow, increasing the number of legs they get each
time. It usually takes a centipede three years to mature and they can live as
long as six years.
Certainly centipedes are not cute; nonetheless, there are
people who want them as pets. Centipedes are actually becoming a favorite among
exotic pet owners worldwide, but extreme care must be taken while handling
them.
So there you have it, some great facts about the Giant
Centipede. Regardless of your wealth of new information, you’ll probably still
scream in sheer terror the next time you see one, even if it’s only an inch in
length!
No comments:
Post a Comment