Centipedes - anything to worry about?

Lindsay

Hey, at night, I often enter my bathroom to discover a centipede or two crawling around my shower area. Or is it a centipede? I have no clue what it is, but it's a long worm with tons of legs that can move pretty fast. Do these beauties bite? If so, any tips on how to get rid of them? And do I need to worry about them exiting the bathroom and getting into the rest of the flat?

Thanks!

skk

It would be ideal if you could post a picture or a diagram ( so I can judge how many legs, how far apart, antennae,jaws,color etc) and indicate its size( 1 cm, 5 cm,10cm etc) would be ideal. The fact that you said they move pretty fast _is_ a clue - but pretty fast is a relative term, sort of, if you see what I mean - heck here's a video of one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZBz_9jTL5I

If it moves that fast and looks like that, yeah it bites, can be nasty so I read - I've never been bitten and I used to mess around with these as a kid,poking them and so on but now I'd stay away and keep the kids away.

can you take a vid and post it on youtube ; O, you want to get RID of them ? I'll let somebody else answer that.

-skk

Haylo

If it's a millipede, it will have two pairs of legs on most body segments. Centipedes only have one pair of legs on most body segments.

All millipedes are harmless.

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skk

Ahh yes, millipedes, I used to mess around with those too - here's a vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oanL9-Yoc8&NR=1

You can see why I wanted more info on the speed right ? Those aren't slouches either are they ? Anyway, if it looks and travels like that, yup - as Haylo says, pretty much harmless, at that size at least. Dunno about the humunguous size ones - if you got a huge size one in Delhi, advertise and charge an entrance fee ( don't forget to get the requisite permits ) - it would be really be soo rare - no doubt somebody will be correct me.

-skk

Lindsay

I'm afraid to watch the Youtube vid. Once I work up my courage and do so, I'll post again!

Meanwhile I realized last night that I've got bigger problems - literally! A RAT came up my drain into my bathroom! SO GROSS!

Am still traumatized...

Haylo

Ugh.. I know how destructive mice are, rats must be even worse, even apart from them spreading disease.

You might want to have a drain cover fitted pdq...

Nick-H

Actually, I really like rats! Certainly nothing gross about them.

But one has to draw the line when it comes to sharing premises wih certain creatures, especially those that, without control, would simply take over by power of numbers. One rat did Rs16,000 damage to my washing machine; another, whilst not doing any actual damage, caused expense and a revolting stink by crawling into some recess of my car to die. They are fond of wiring insulation, and can cause a lot of damage to cars.

All drains in your house should have a water trap to deter cockroaches and other creatures, although I doubt it would stop a determined rat. Never had one in the house (washing machine is in a side passage) and certainly don't want one.

ananda2193

Here's some centipede pics,

http://www.junglewalk.com/photos/Cen...tures-I254.htm

They give a nasty bite that hurts like hell for a while.

skk

Sigh ! First possibly nasty centipedes and now RATS ! Do check out the vids and pics to really identify what you have. Since nobody has yet suggested how to get rid of centipedes - well, if it hassles you too much and I can quite understand why, just take a shoe and bash them - if you can spot one( centipede, if that's what they are) motionless, its a bit hard when they are moving though; I'd definitely just pick up the small and medium sized millipedes ( really harmless ) on a piece of paper and throw them out of the house.

For more permanent solutions .. there are pest control services - I have no personal knowledge of Delhi but only of those in Pune, India.

Do definitely fix the rats issue.

-skk

Nick-H

And do it before one of them looks you in the eyes and smiles, and you think, "it's quite sweet, really...". They're warm, furry mammals that might, in other circumstances, be your pets. You do not need to get emotionally involved with your pests!

Haylo

Unless you are absolutely plagued by an infestation of rats, in which case pest control can provide a useful service, I don't think it is likely to be the most effective solution.

They say that in England you are never more than ten feet from a rat, yet they are rarely found in houses here. Get that drain covered!

machadinha

Millipedes, the tiny European ones too I believe, are actually said to secrete an irritating substance. Can't say it's ever bothered me or anyone I've ever heard of.

Centipedes and again even the tiny European ones it seems are poisonous; same thing again, never heard of anyone here actually being harmed by them.

Now there exist tropical centipedes, big (if not to say huge), fat, ugly-looking creatures or at least in my experience, that are said to pack quite a punch indeed, and while they won't kill you (they conceivably might infants or the sick or the elderly I suppose), a bite might well warrant a hospital visit or so they say, and is said to otherwise hurt like hell, indeed. When I lived in the Caribbean us kids steered well away from them. (Moreover, they were typically very sturdy little critters and not very easy to kill either. I remember we once doused one in a full spraycan of lacquer and it just walked on.) Moreover, they're said to be quite aggressive too; that doesn't mean they'll come hunting for you, but they will defend themselves.

Thing is I don't know how this relates to Indian centipedes, and I've never seen them there. They may well prefer dark and damp places yes, so your shower; on the other hand there'd be nothing to stop them from doing some wandering about you'd think.

You might want to teach yourself and your household to as a matter of course give your shoes a good shake before putting them on, not a bad idea in the tropics anyway. Inspecting a hammock or bed before lying down may not be out of order either.

If it gets to pest-like dimensions, I'd certainly look into getting some pest control people in yes. You may otherwise just have to learn to live with them. And, er, try to find out about the dangers if any of Indian centipedes then

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Nick-H

Some of our centipedes and millipedes are quite colourful and rather good looking. I just sweep them into a dustpan, and put them outside.

Check your shoes before putting your feet inside!




Disclaimer... Just joking about the Dutch, of course; Mach is not that ugly, and I can think of some very beautiful ones!

machadinha

Hmmm.... that thin, eh, Nick?

Nick-H

Sure, ther are skinnier Brits.

But uglier?