Briton Finds Venomous Centipede in House

**fish_doc** · 08-31-2005, 10:04 PM

Aaron Balick expected to find a tiny mouse rustling behind the TV in his apartment. Instead, he found a venomous giant centipede that somehow hitched a ride from South America to Britain.

Thinking it was a mouse, I went to investigate the sound. The sound was coming from under some papers which I lifted, expecting to see the mouse scamper away," the 32-year-old psychotherapist said Wednesday. "Instead, when I lifted the papers, I saw this prehistoric looking animal skitter away behind a stack of books."
He trapped the 9-inch-long creature between a stack of books and put it in a plastic container.

The next day he took it to Britain's Natural History Museum, which identified the insect as a Scolopendra gigantea — the world's biggest species of centipede.

Stuart Hine, an entomologist at the museum, said it was likely the centipede hitched a ride aboard a freighter, likely with a shipment of fruit.

"Dealing with over 4,000 public and commercial inquiries every year, we have come to expect the unexpected. However, when Aaron produced this beast from his bag I was staggered," Hine said. "Not even I expected to be presented with this."

The Scolopendra gigantea has front claws that are adapted to deliver venom when it stings, which can lead to a blistering rash, nausea and fever. The sting is rarely life-threatening, but painful.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050831/...eepy_centipede

solar-ton · 08-31-2005, 10:24 PM

i found a 6" milipod in my house once.

fishfreaks · 09-01-2005, 06:50 AM

OMG if i saw one of those in my house i would NEVER come back!!

**Baby_Baby** · 09-01-2005, 06:56 AM

lol. coo. In hawaii they got centipeds that are like a foot long, but usually people kill em before they get that big only about 3-6 inches. But ya I've seen a big one. It is scary. 1 foot long and as big as a man's thumb. =O

**fish_doc** · 09-01-2005, 07:02 PM

I would hate to buy shoes for one of those. LOL

mlefev · 09-01-2005, 07:11 PM

LOL I hate centipedes. I think the largest I've found are about 3-4 inches up in northern Cali. They seem to have an affinity for bath-tubs. Nasty creatures.

Lydia · 09-02-2005, 07:57 AM

We find ones about 3-4 inches long in our whirlpool tub all the time. But only our whirlpool. Not the other one, which is a good thing, lol.

blor · 09-02-2005, 03:14 PM

ughh...nasty buggers

**Baby_Baby** · 09-02-2005, 05:38 PM

ya Lydia is a nasty bugger isn't she? lol

08-31-2005, 10:04 PM	#1
fish_doc Advisor to Neptune (Mod) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Illinois Age: 40 Posts: 3,881 Blog Entries: 14	Briton Finds Venomous Centipede in House Aaron Balick expected to find a tiny mouse rustling behind the TV in his apartment. Instead, he found a venomous giant centipede that somehow hitched a ride from South America to Britain. Thinking it was a mouse, I went to investigate the sound. The sound was coming from under some papers which I lifted, expecting to see the mouse scamper away," the 32-year-old psychotherapist said Wednesday. "Instead, when I lifted the papers, I saw this prehistoric looking animal skitter away behind a stack of books." He trapped the 9-inch-long creature between a stack of books and put it in a plastic container. The next day he took it to Britain's Natural History Museum, which identified the insect as a Scolopendra gigantea — the world's biggest species of centipede. Stuart Hine, an entomologist at the museum, said it was likely the centipede hitched a ride aboard a freighter, likely with a shipment of fruit. "Dealing with over 4,000 public and commercial inquiries every year, we have come to expect the unexpected. However, when Aaron produced this beast from his bag I was staggered," Hine said. "Not even I expected to be presented with this." The Scolopendra gigantea has front claws that are adapted to deliver venom when it stings, which can lead to a blistering rash, nausea and fever. The sting is rarely life-threatening, but painful. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050831/...eepy_centipede __________________ Dave (fish_doc) A World of fish

08-31-2005, 10:24 PM	#2
solar-ton guardian of the sea Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: a tree Age: 16 Posts: 670	i found a 6" milipod in my house once. __________________ minimum oscar tank size: 75 gallon for 2 a 125 goldfish can cause hith diesease! so dont feed them goldfish as a staple diet!

09-01-2005, 06:50 AM	#3
fishfreaks M&F Couple Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: PA Age: 21 Posts: 4,276	OMG if i saw one of those in my house i would NEVER come back!! __________________ VOTE FOR FISH FORUMS

09-01-2005, 06:56 AM	#4
Baby_Baby Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tulsa Posts: 3,806 Blog Entries: 1	lol. coo. In hawaii they got centipeds that are like a foot long, but usually people kill em before they get that big only about 3-6 inches. But ya I've seen a big one. It is scary. 1 foot long and as big as a man's thumb. =O __________________ "By avoiding the very thing you despise the most, by trying to be "different" by striving to be so "unique", you've become the sole and center of all that you held so high on the pedestal of disgusting mortality deemed society."

09-01-2005, 07:02 PM	#5
fish_doc Advisor to Neptune (Mod) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Illinois Age: 40 Posts: 3,881 Blog Entries: 14	I would hate to buy shoes for one of those. LOL __________________ Dave (fish_doc) A World of fish

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09-01-2005, 07:11 PM	#6
mlefev Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: California Age: 26 Posts: 817	LOL I hate centipedes. I think the largest I've found are about 3-4 inches up in northern Cali. They seem to have an affinity for bath-tubs. Nasty creatures.

09-02-2005, 07:57 AM	#7
Lydia Ichthus Owner Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: FL Posts: 1,905	We find ones about 3-4 inches long in our whirlpool tub all the time. But only our whirlpool. Not the other one, which is a good thing, lol. __________________ Vote for FishForums!

09-02-2005, 03:14 PM	#8
blor living in a 10 gal tank Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: So Cal Age: 28 Posts: 144	ughh...nasty buggers __________________ "To be the best, one has to be better than the rest" "Some people are alive because it's against the law to kill them"

09-02-2005, 05:38 PM	#9
Baby_Baby Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tulsa Posts: 3,806 Blog Entries: 1	ya Lydia is a nasty bugger isn't she? lol __________________ "By avoiding the very thing you despise the most, by trying to be "different" by striving to be so "unique", you've become the sole and center of all that you held so high on the pedestal of disgusting mortality deemed society."

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