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Post by mintygreen on Apr 27, 2013 0:58:42 GMT -5
If you don't know what a house centipede is, this is a house centipede:
*shudders*
These things totally freak me out....and I'm not someone that's really very scared of most bugs. Wasps are the other exception...they scare me.
However I don't like to kill things so I don't kill them....and I wouldn't say I have a phobia of them since seeing a picture of one doesn't cause me to flip out....nor does their existence in my house change how I do things in the house.
Seeing one on the wall doesn't make me lose it either....if I know that it's on the wall and not near me, I'm okay with it.
It's just when I have a really freaky experience with one that I freak totally out.
I've had some pretty CRAZY experiences with these things.
The reason why I'm making this topic is because I just experienced another one of those crazy scenarios just a few minutes ago.
I was taking some of my dried clothing off of the line in my basement and I carried it upstairs to my bedroom to fold and put away.
As I was laying my clothes on my bed to fold them, I noticed a HUGE house centipede on the shirt I was about to fold. I freaked out, screamed.....let go of the shirt....and it landed on my bed and then the house centipede was on my bed.
I have no idea where it is anymore....I'm sure it's still in my room....maybe in the covers of my bed. I'm scared to climb into bed now since it might crawl all over me in my sleep. ;_;
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CrazyDiamond
Randall's Skivvy (0-299)
I'm shining!
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Post by CrazyDiamond on Apr 27, 2013 4:50:11 GMT -5
Oh yes, the Scutigera coleoptrata! I used to dislike them a lot, but got over it and now we coexist happily . I find it interesting that they come from Europe, but they are much more abundant in North America… By the way, have you seen one running? They're FAST! They remind me of Randall when he's doing his running/crawling thing… Frankly, there are worse insects that can get into your bed, so having a centipede around to eat them is not such a bad idea ;D
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Post by pitbulllady on Apr 27, 2013 14:21:23 GMT -5
With the exception of their favorite food choice(spiders), I like House Centipedes quite a lot. We don't often find them here, for some reason, and considering where I live, that's odd. Normally anything that crawls around on multi-legs(other than a multi-legged individual I WISH would show up) is going to numerous here in the South once the weather warms up, but it's been years since I saw a Scutigera. Now, regular Centipedes, mostly the quite-venomous Scolopendras, I see very often, both inside and outside the house, and THOSE are the ones you really need to watch out for. I've never even heard of a House Centipede biting anyone, but Scolo's will light you up like a Christmas tree! These guys also love to eat wasps, and pest insects like roaches and silverfish, so they aren't bad to have around. I'd have to relocate one if I found it inside, because I have several free-range Southern Black House Spiders(Kukulcania hibernalis) living around the house who take care of pest control, and I don't want them to be eaten, since some have been around for over a decade now(yes, females can live for a very long time, like tarantulas).
pitbulllady
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CrazyDiamond
Randall's Skivvy (0-299)
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Posts: 270
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Post by CrazyDiamond on Apr 27, 2013 15:03:59 GMT -5
With the exception of their favorite food choice(spiders), I like House Centipedes quite a lot. We don't often find them here, for some reason, and considering where I live, that's odd. Normally anything that crawls around on multi-legs(other than a multi-legged individual I WISH would show up) is going to numerous here in the South once the weather warms up, but it's been years since I saw a Scutigera. Now, regular Centipedes, mostly the quite-venomous Scolopendras, I see very often, both inside and outside the house, and THOSE are the ones you really need to watch out for. I've never even heard of a House Centipede biting anyone, but Scolo's will light you up like a Christmas tree! These guys also love to eat wasps, and pest insects like roaches and silverfish, so they aren't bad to have around. I'd have to relocate one if I found it inside, because I have several free-range Southern Black House Spiders( Kukulcania hibernalis) living around the house who take care of pest control, and I don't want them to be eaten, since some have been around for over a decade now(yes, females can live for a very long time, like tarantulas). pitbulllady Glad to know my family and I aren't the only ones to deliberately keep spiders in house. Lol We have a few Dust Spiders (Tegenaria atrica) and Barn Funnel Weavers (Tegenaria domestica) around. However, there aren't many House Centipedes around here. Where I live, I've only seen two of them in the past ten years or so, and I live in a region where they naturally occur. I've encountered hordes of them in the US, though ;D. The most common centipede we have is Lithobius forficatus. They're very small and live outside.
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Post by pitbulllady on Apr 27, 2013 18:41:04 GMT -5
I LOVE Tegenarias! I've seen a few T. domesticas, but they aren't common here. I would love to have a big female T. duellica, but they're just common in the Pacific Northwest. Odd how many of the arachnids and myrapods found here in the US aren't even native, though; none of the Tegenarias are native to the North America, nor are the very-common Cellar Spiders, Pholcus phalagiodes. Living the in Southern US, where bugs of all sorts are numerous, smart people learn to live with spiders...better spiders than mosquitoes or roaches(which get HUGE around here) or other bitey, disease-carrying thingies.
pitbulllady
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Post by goldenponcho on Apr 27, 2013 20:58:10 GMT -5
There used to be a ton of those things in my apartment when I first moved in. They don't bother me, but there were just so many plus a few other bugs, I had to have the place sprayed. That's been about a year and a half ago, and still any bug that comes in ends up dying. If I find live bugs in my house, though, I usually just toss them outside, unless it's a wasp or something.
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Post by mintygreen on Apr 27, 2013 22:39:27 GMT -5
Oh yes, the Scutigera coleoptrata! I used to dislike them a lot, but got over it and now we coexist happily . I find it interesting that they come from Europe, but they are much more abundant in North America… By the way, have you seen one running? They're FAST! They remind me of Randall when he's doing his running/crawling thing… Frankly, there are worse insects that can get into your bed, so having a centipede around to eat them is not such a bad idea ;D Yes I have seen them running....which is actually one of the main reasons why they freak me out.....because I feel like in an instant it can suddenly be on me. That's the main reason why when I suddenly noticed one on the shirt I was about to fold, I instantly dropped it....because I know they're fast and it could suddenly be on me in an instant. Another incident I had with one was when I was getting a new roll of toilet paper out of the linen closet and while I was carrying the new roll to the bathroom, I noticed a huge one on it and my immediate reaction was to scream and throw the roll into the air. The roll landed and I saw the house centipede run off the roll into a nearby room. I wouldn't say I hate them because I don't like to hate things....but they do seriously freak me out at times. No one else in my family is fond of them either and my other family members will actually kill them and I've told them a few times to stop killing them but sometimes I'll come across the legs of one and then ask my dad if he killed one and he'll admit that he did. I don't like things being killed so even though they scare me sometimes, I do wish my other family members wouldn't kill them. And I do know that they are beneficial and that there are worse things you can get in your house if you kill them....like yes roaches which can actually potentially give you diseases. Anyway, they remind you of Randall? LOL. That makes me feel kind of bad for not being fond of them....but I can't really help it that they freak me out at times. I do often like long skinny things and what not....but not in the case of these things. And they really do have a TON of legs....which is I think why they move so freaking fast. Most often the locations where I'll see them are either in my basement or in one of the bathrooms and sometimes the kitchen. With the exception of their favorite food choice(spiders), I like House Centipedes quite a lot. We don't often find them here, for some reason, and considering where I live, that's odd. Normally anything that crawls around on multi-legs(other than a multi-legged individual I WISH would show up) is going to numerous here in the South once the weather warms up, but it's been years since I saw a Scutigera. Now, regular Centipedes, mostly the quite-venomous Scolopendras, I see very often, both inside and outside the house, and THOSE are the ones you really need to watch out for. I've never even heard of a House Centipede biting anyone, but Scolo's will light you up like a Christmas tree! These guys also love to eat wasps, and pest insects like roaches and silverfish, so they aren't bad to have around. I'd have to relocate one if I found it inside, because I have several free-range Southern Black House Spiders( Kukulcania hibernalis) living around the house who take care of pest control, and I don't want them to be eaten, since some have been around for over a decade now(yes, females can live for a very long time, like tarantulas). pitbulllady I have heard that house centipedes can bite people....but it could be I heard wrong info. Spiders don't bother me and I don't even bother moving them outside if I see one because I don't have a problem with them being in the house. One time I actually found a spider in my hair and even that didn't freak me out. It was actually propelling/hanging from the end of my hair. LOL. There have been times where a cluster of baby spiders must have hatched somewhere in the house and I'll see all these baby spiders hanging from the lights and other things like that. I'm not really sure what species of spiders that exist in my house....I think there are about 3 or 4 different species of spiders in my house. The basement area is generally where I see the widest variety of spiders in my house.
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Post by mintygreen on Apr 27, 2013 22:42:49 GMT -5
Oh yes, the Scutigera coleoptrata! I used to dislike them a lot, but got over it and now we coexist happily . I find it interesting that they come from Europe, but they are much more abundant in North America… By the way, have you seen one running? They're FAST! They remind me of Randall when he's doing his running/crawling thing… Frankly, there are worse insects that can get into your bed, so having a centipede around to eat them is not such a bad idea ;D Yes I have seen them running....which is actually one of the main reasons why they freak me out.....because I feel like in an instant it can suddenly be on me. That's the main reason why when I suddenly noticed one on the shirt I was about to fold, I instantly dropped it....because I know they're fast and it could suddenly be on me in an instant. Another incident I had with one was when I was getting a new roll of toilet paper out of the linen closet and while I was carrying the new roll to the bathroom, I noticed a huge one on it and my immediate reaction was to scream and throw the roll into the air. The roll landed and I saw the house centipede run off the roll into a nearby room. I wouldn't say I hate them because I don't like to hate things....but they do seriously freak me out at times. No one else in my family is fond of them either and my other family members will actually kill them and I've told them a few times to stop killing them but sometimes I'll come across the legs of one and then ask my dad if he killed one and he'll admit that he did. I don't like things being killed so even though they scare me sometimes, I do wish my other family members wouldn't kill them. And I do know that they are beneficial and that there are worse things you can get in your house if you kill them....like yes roaches which can actually potentially give you diseases. Anyway, they remind you of Randall? LOL. That makes me feel kind of bad for not being fond of them....but I can't really help it that they freak me out at times. I do often like long skinny things and what not....but not in the case of these things. And they really do have a TON of legs....which is I think why they move so freaking fast. Most often the locations where I'll see them are either in my basement or in one of the bathrooms and sometimes the kitchen. With the exception of their favorite food choice(spiders), I like House Centipedes quite a lot. We don't often find them here, for some reason, and considering where I live, that's odd. Normally anything that crawls around on multi-legs(other than a multi-legged individual I WISH would show up) is going to numerous here in the South once the weather warms up, but it's been years since I saw a Scutigera. Now, regular Centipedes, mostly the quite-venomous Scolopendras, I see very often, both inside and outside the house, and THOSE are the ones you really need to watch out for. I've never even heard of a House Centipede biting anyone, but Scolo's will light you up like a Christmas tree! These guys also love to eat wasps, and pest insects like roaches and silverfish, so they aren't bad to have around. I'd have to relocate one if I found it inside, because I have several free-range Southern Black House Spiders( Kukulcania hibernalis) living around the house who take care of pest control, and I don't want them to be eaten, since some have been around for over a decade now(yes, females can live for a very long time, like tarantulas). pitbulllady I have heard that house centipedes can bite people....but it could be I heard wrong info. Spiders don't bother me and I don't even bother moving them outside if I see one because I don't have a problem with them being in the house. One time I actually found a spider in my hair and even that didn't freak me out. It was actually propelling/hanging from the end of my hair. LOL. As a teenager while doing homework I suddenly noticed a spider climbing on my arm and I did freak out and flick it off my arm....it startled me that's why....I didn't kill it though. There have been times where a cluster of baby spiders must have hatched somewhere in the house and I'll see all these baby spiders hanging from the lights and other things like that. I'm not really sure what species of spiders that exist in my house....I think there are about 3 or 4 different species of spiders in my house. The basement area is generally where I see the widest variety of spiders in my house.
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CrazyDiamond
Randall's Skivvy (0-299)
I'm shining!
Posts: 270
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Post by CrazyDiamond on Apr 28, 2013 4:14:53 GMT -5
Yes, they definitely have the "freak factor" ;D But they are probably more afraid of you than you are of them, so they try to get away from you rather than get closer to you. Btw I've found out that the easiest way for me to get over a panic attack anytime I see a "creepy" animal is to look into its eyes. I know it's kinda hard with centipedes, since it takes a while just to figure out where its head is, but perhaps you should give it a try They can bite (or more precisely sting), but it must be an unlucky coincidence of them being scared and attacking in self-defense with your skin being thin enough for them to actually do some damage. I honestly don't know what my family's reaction to a centipede would look like, because, as I mentioned, they are almost nonexistent here. Right now, the only family members to ensure the house (or at least the floor) is free of crawlies are our overly-curious cats… And yes, their movement does remind me of Randall! ;D Just watch the scene where Randall kidnaps Mike. When the bell rings and he runs to his cart, he moves just like a centipede! I can imagine how kids mistake him for a giant centipede and freak out, filling his scream canister ;D
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Post by pitbulllady on Apr 28, 2013 11:30:37 GMT -5
Yes, they definitely have the "freak factor" ;D But they are probably more afraid of you than you are of them, so they try to get away from you rather than get closer to you. Btw I've found out that the easiest way for me to get over a panic attack anytime I see a "creepy" animal is to look into its eyes. I know it's kinda hard with centipedes, since it takes a while just to figure out where its head is, but perhaps you should give it a try They can bite (or more precisely sting), but it must be an unlucky coincidence of them being scared and attacking in self-defense with your skin being thin enough for them to actually do some damage. I honestly don't know what my family's reaction to a centipede would look like, because, as I mentioned, they are almost nonexistent here. Right now, the only family members to ensure the house (or at least the floor) is free of crawlies are our overly-curious cats… And yes, their movement does remind me of Randall! ;D Just watch the scene where Randall kidnaps Mike. When the bell rings and he runs to his cart, he moves just like a centipede! I can imagine how kids mistake him for a giant centipede and freak out, filling his scream canister ;D Then try to imagine the effect that Dean Hardscrabble would have on those kids, since she IS part centipede! pitbulllady
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Post by mintygreen on Apr 28, 2013 23:02:34 GMT -5
Yes, they definitely have the "freak factor" ;D But they are probably more afraid of you than you are of them, so they try to get away from you rather than get closer to you. Btw I've found out that the easiest way for me to get over a panic attack anytime I see a "creepy" animal is to look into its eyes. I know it's kinda hard with centipedes, since it takes a while just to figure out where its head is, but perhaps you should give it a try They can bite (or more precisely sting), but it must be an unlucky coincidence of them being scared and attacking in self-defense with your skin being thin enough for them to actually do some damage. I honestly don't know what my family's reaction to a centipede would look like, because, as I mentioned, they are almost nonexistent here. Right now, the only family members to ensure the house (or at least the floor) is free of crawlies are our overly-curious cats… And yes, their movement does remind me of Randall! ;D Just watch the scene where Randall kidnaps Mike. When the bell rings and he runs to his cart, he moves just like a centipede! I can imagine how kids mistake him for a giant centipede and freak out, filling his scream canister ;D Yeah I'm sure they are more afraid of me than I am of them....after all I could easily kill them(even though I don't). I used to kill them....but I stopped. Yes, they definitely have the "freak factor" ;D But they are probably more afraid of you than you are of them, so they try to get away from you rather than get closer to you. Btw I've found out that the easiest way for me to get over a panic attack anytime I see a "creepy" animal is to look into its eyes. I know it's kinda hard with centipedes, since it takes a while just to figure out where its head is, but perhaps you should give it a try They can bite (or more precisely sting), but it must be an unlucky coincidence of them being scared and attacking in self-defense with your skin being thin enough for them to actually do some damage. I honestly don't know what my family's reaction to a centipede would look like, because, as I mentioned, they are almost nonexistent here. Right now, the only family members to ensure the house (or at least the floor) is free of crawlies are our overly-curious cats… And yes, their movement does remind me of Randall! ;D Just watch the scene where Randall kidnaps Mike. When the bell rings and he runs to his cart, he moves just like a centipede! I can imagine how kids mistake him for a giant centipede and freak out, filling his scream canister ;D Then try to imagine the effect that Dean Hardscrabble would have on those kids, since she IS part centipede! pitbulllady Yeah....she reminds me of one....
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Post by lizardgirl on Apr 29, 2013 16:50:20 GMT -5
I can't tell whether I'm glad to live somewhere that basically doesn't have large poisonous creepy crawlies or whether this is a bad thing because I get so freaked out by bugs that if I DO go somewhere where there's lots of insects or arachnids or so on, I never feel comfortable. Even just the big fat bumble bees that start flying around at this time of year really scare me (despite the fact that I hate it when people are scared of things for no reason). But it's a genuine instinctual reaction- if I see anything that looks like it might be an insect of any kind, I just want to get away! The thought of having House Centipedes anywhere near me is just...ick. I mean, look at those antennae! Jeez.
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Post by mintygreen on Apr 30, 2013 23:06:46 GMT -5
Okay for the last 2 nights in a row....in the evening while sitting here at my computer in my bedroom....I have seen a house centipede come out from under the door and into my room.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
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CrazyDiamond
Randall's Skivvy (0-299)
I'm shining!
Posts: 270
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Post by CrazyDiamond on May 1, 2013 2:41:56 GMT -5
That's because you North Americans underestimate the utility of thresholds
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Post by pitvipersnake on Sept 26, 2013 15:57:39 GMT -5
I know this is a bit of an old thread but I just noticed it. I thought I should say something on this because coincidentally we were discussing House Centipedes at my volunteer job today. I volunteer at my Local Biological Records Centre and I just submitted a record of a House Centipede I found in my kitchen. It turns out they are very under recorded, I'm only the 3rd person to submit a record at my Record Centre, we know there are more than 3 House Centipedes in South-West England. I am now on a quest to find more, and hopefully get a photo.
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