Is there a zoologist in the house?

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Is there a species of 4-inch centipede or millipede (I couldn't count the legs) native to Northern California?
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I don't care how many legs it has. I just want to know if someone's exotic pet is loose in my house, or if there is an uninvited visitor staying with us!

The little fellow looked like he was dark brown or black out there under the hallway lighting.
 
quote:

Originally posted by moribundman:
Is there a species of 4-inch centipede or millipede (I couldn't count the legs) native to Northern California?
rolleyes.gif


Both types of 10^x-ipede are native to California.

If your new friend looks like this it's a millipede.

Millipede

Millipedes have more than one pair of legs per body segment, centipedes don't. Some centipedes will bite, millipedes don't.
 
Yeah, that looks like dead ringer for my houseguest. But 4" long! ACK! *gets BB gun*

Jeffrey, could you sleep if there were this THING in your house?
 
quote:

Originally posted by moribundman:
Yeah, that looks like dead ringer for my houseguest. But 4" long! ACK! *gets BB gun*

Jeffrey, could you sleep if there were this THING in your house?


They're the oldest land creature known - prehistorically they grew to three feet in length!

They usually eat decaying plant matter, although there are a few that are garden pests and even a couple of predators in the family. Here in the Eastern US they're associated with darker damper areas of the garden and house.

Here's an article on millipede control:

http://www.bugspray.com/articles98/millipede.html

Excessive rain and lack of food seem to be the main cause of migrations into the house.

When in doubt, shoot.
 
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prehistorically they grew to three feet in length!

You bet I'll shoot the Kafka bug if I see it anywhere around the premises -- unless it gets me first.
 
We have plenty banana slugs in the Redwood forests, but not around my house. Don't worry about me using a shotgun. I use a Walther competition air pistol on all intruders, regardless of number of legs.
 
I actually think 10^x-ipedes, as XS650 so humorously put it
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, are pretty cool. It wouldn't bother me to have one in the house. There's one exception, though. In Michigan, we get these ones that are about 2" long, thin, have very long legs and are QUICK! Those things are creepy and I'll smack 'em fast with whatever's handy. The big, slow ones are cool, though. If it's that, just let it crawl onto a piece of paper and take it outside.
 
Hey, easy on the killing. Can't you just take it back outside? I doubt it will hurt a big strong fellow like yourself, and I knwo you're not afraid of no bugs....
 
Centipedes will bite, I dispose of them immediately.

One trick I learned after living in an apartment with some in it: Smacking them often does kill them but causes them to fall under something. I take a lint roller, peel off a pad and slap that over the bug. Then simply peel off, fold in half and dispose. No mess.
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quote:

I take a lint roller, peel off a pad and slap that over the bug.

A haberdasher makes a good exterminator, I suppose.
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Anyway, I haven't seen it since last night. But I check all my shoes before I put them on, just in case. I hope my bed is safe...
 
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