Dumb question

BugMom · Dumb question

Does anyone know what type of centipede(s) would be native to my area (Santa Clarita)? I cannot seem to find any info online. I'm supposed to talk to the boyscouts about venomous (and not venoumous, but just scary) local animals. I would really appreciate it if you had a picture too?

What

Scolopendra polymorpha - one of the most common pedes in SoCal
Scutigera coleoptrata - House centipede - fairly common in houses and dark moist areas
Scolopocryptops sp. - Blind centipedes - a few species/genera in SoCal but covering this one genus is probably sufficient
Geophilomorphae - Soil centipedes - very common under rocks and logs, long thread like bodies, will eat live/dead prey

Some other things to cover:
- Latrodectus hesperus AND Latrodectus geometricus, also how to tell them apart(smooth vs. spiky eggsacs).
- Jerusalem Crickets, large and decently 'scary' but all together harmless.
- The fact that the Brown Reculse(L. reclusa) does not range into SoCal, or even California in general.
- Native tarantulas, large and can be frightening but usually harmless.
- Spiders in general, only really dangerous ones are the Latrodectus in SoCal.

I would grab you some pictures but I am really not up to it tonight. Feel free to use any images on my Flickr account(linked as my website/in my sig).

Celeste

Several folks have told me that the Scutigera coleoptrata is not native, but that it is an invasive species. (They seem to be doing quite well in my bathroom!)

Also, Jerusalem Crickets are not entirely harmless -- they feed on roots, and have powerful jaws that can give you a mean pinching bite! (And are perfectly capable of breaking the skin -- especially on young children).

I have Scutigera at home and might be able to send some pix later. There is a picture of a baby Jerusalem cricket here:
http://scabies.myfreeforum.org/about1836.html
but it's kind of dark. ..

Try www.whatsthatbug.com for more pictures. They have a search window on their main page.

Enjoy!

-- Celeste

Celeste

P.S. You might also mention that the pointy-looking thing on the tails of some crickets is the female's ovipositor, and is totally harmless... A lot of people seem to think it is some kind of stinger.

-- C

BugMom

Thank you so much. I didn't even think to talk about the Jerusalem Cricket (weird cuz I'm totally fascinated by them). I did have down to talk about brown recluse and I have some doctored photos from the email rumors. I have a locally caught tarantula to show, but I'd love to get a local scorp too. I hadn't heard about the cricket "stinger" -- that's funny! Oooo, did you hear the one where the vinegaroon "scorpion" stings you and you taste vinegar for a week?

I will definitely use some of your photos What, thank you. I should have just asked you guys in the first place instead of staying up late trying to google stuff. Yawn. You guys are great!

NBond1986

BugMom

We normally stress the "don't touch unless an adult tells you it's okay" approach. Especially for scouts who are supposed to "leave no trace". I've noticed that people outside the hobby, even scout leaders, really have no idea which animals in our area are really dangerous (I mean beyond "Mommy, I have a boo-boo" dangerous) -- that would be why so many tarantulas are squished and so many kingsnakes are decapitated. So sad! Just a little education goes a long way!

Celeste

You might point out, too, that there's "dangerous", and there's "DANGEROUS", and that there are very few reptiles and invertebrates in the DANGEROUS category around here.

There's a whole spectrum, and the bites of many of the native centipedes and tarantulas are comparable to bee stings for most people, and not an emergency unless you happen to be allergic.

Here are some statistics and info on poisonous snake bites (for the U.S.):
http://www.chop.edu/consumer/your..._index.jsp?root_id=0&id=-8385
and here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakebite

Most of the time, given the chance, a snake (of any kind) will just try to GET AWAY from you! And poisonous snakes don't always inject venom, even -- sometimes they'll give a "dry" bite. I was watching a Crocodile Hunter DVD with my son recently, and I pointed out to him that the cobra Steve Irwin was trying to catch was not even being aggressive -- it was trying *desperately* to get away!

But even a black widow or brown recluse bite isn't likely to *kill* you. There's some good info (and pictures) here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_recluse_spider
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_widow_spider
including descriptions of the effects of bites.

(Wow -- a lot of good info in wikipedia!)

Yes -- my son has also been raised with the "don't touch it if you aren't absolutely sure what it is" philosophy. :-)

-- Celeste

cacoseraph

there are also Lithobiomorpha - Stone centipedes

i would say these are probably the most often encountered type of centipede in CA and the world.

these little dudes live under rocks for the most part. they are up to ~2" bodylength (not counting legs or antenna) and are generally a red color, though i have seen purple, red, orange, yellow, and brown in SoCA. the larger specimens can pierce skin and have mildly irritating venom.

and easy way to tell the orders of centipedes apart is by looking at their legs:

lithobiomorpha - 15 legpairs, short legs
scolopendromorpha - 21 or 23 legpairs
scutigeromorpha - 15 legpairs, long legs
geophilomorpha - >>23 legpairs (up to something like 177 legpairs)

Celeste

Andrew: is that "mildly irritating" to *you*, or "mildly irritating" to a *normal* human??? ;->

-- C

BugMom

Heh heh. What is a "normal" human being anyway?

I really appreciate the help. I've been to other forums where I wouldn't dare ask such an uninformed question for fear of the verbal lashing, but you guys have been so nice! It's better for the hobby when people are willing to share their knowledge! I have never kept centipedes and don't know much about them, but now the kids I'm talking to won't have to know that!!

cacoseraph

www.youtube.com/cacoseraph

^ have a gander at some of my vids. about half are centipede vids

and a word about why there are multiple versions: i made hifi and lowfi versions so that if you on a less than lightning fast internet connection you can check out the lofi version. sometimes for really big movies i makea tinyfi version, too Smile

cacoseraph

cacoseraph

oh yeah
as far as Things To Avoid goes, i would say tarantula hawk wasps should DEF be on there!

big, metallic colors, and a sting like liquid fire

CA has at least
genus Hemipepsis http://bugguide.net/node/view/3921/bgpage
genus Pepsis http://bugguide.net/node/view/3920/bgpage
P. mildei http://bugguide.net/node/view/76304/bgpage
P. mexicana http://bugguide.net/node/view/122887/bgpage <-- AWESOME PIC!!!!

i have to say, these actually make me a little uncomfortable. bees and normal sized wasps don't phase me... but i have seen HUGE pompiliids in the field and definitely was impressed by them!

pretty things

Celeste

Oh, yes! (Those Tarantula Hawk Wasps). They sound like a Helicopter when they're buzzing by you, too!

If you want to warn them about dangerous bugs, be sure to mention yellowjacket wasps, which always seem to attack in swarms... Probably a lot more dangerous than a lone Tarantula or Centipede just because of that swarming attack behavior!

Oh, are you going to mention aquatic venomous critters, too (like jellyfish and stingrays, which are plentiful right now)?

-- C

cacoseraph

i expect some of the native Assassin and Ambush bugs could give a pretty good bite
http://scabies.myfreeforum.org/forum58.php

oh, and i believe some of our caterpillars have urticating setae (itching hairs) that can be somewhat serious if you get them in your eyes

Celeste

How about millipede pee-pee? ;-> And Bombardier beetle "farts"?

There is such a diversity of defenses!

In fact, this discussion is giving me ideas for a great display about invert defense mechanisms! :-D

-- C

cacoseraph

yeah, i want to do a general chemical defense display, also

i also want to do one on all the dif kinds of eggsacs spiders make

BugMom

I was mostly going to concentrate on what kids would run into here in town on our local trails and such -- we are quite a ways from the beach. Although there is another requirement for learning about ocean animals, so I might get in on that later. They are allowing me to do a series of 4 classes which is awesome. I'm giving them each a superworm to watch metamorphisis and we're making scat out of tootsie rolls! Yum! and Yuck!

MissMaaM

I live in Santa Clarita too! Very Happy

I've never seen any wild pedes though, whether they be millipedes or centipedes. But I do own two African Giant Black Millipedes that I got through mail.

Celeste

MissMaaM: Please let us know if you have any success breeding your millis -- I am trying to breed mine. They seem to mate, but no babies so far.

They are no longer being imported, so we need to figure out this captive breeding thing...

-- Celeste