# Brave Wilderness video - bitten by S. heros



## TreebeardGoddess (Dec 21, 2017)

Has anyone seen the new video from Brave Wilderness where he (Coyote Peterson) gets bitten by a WC _Scolopendra heros_?




I can't tell how much of his reaction is over-dramatized for the extra views. Anyone with experience handling _S. heros_ want to chime in?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Venom1080 (Dec 21, 2017)

I saw it too. I think it's a bit overreacted, but I've never been bit by any pede before.


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## sdsnybny (Dec 21, 2017)

TreebeardGoddess said:


> Has anyone seen the new video from Brave Wilderness where he (Coyote Peterson) gets bitten by a WC _Scolopendra heros_?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There are enough well documented bite reports out there..so sensationalism at its best. Lets see him get bit by some of the Asian giant pedes.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## Ratmosphere (Dec 21, 2017)

Everyone has a different tolerance to pain. Imagine if he took a Asian pede hit though...


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## Dennis Nedry (Dec 21, 2017)

If he'd been bitten by an Asian pede he wouldn't need to act out the reaction

Reactions: Agree 3


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## dangerforceidle (Dec 21, 2017)

But he's also done everything on the Schmidt pain index for insect stings all the way up to tarantula hawks, bullet ants, and warrior wasps.  Is an Asian centipede worse than those?

Surely there is some over-acting, but he's definitely no stranger to high-powered bites and stings.  He does a fairly good job of describing what sort of sensation the pain feels like once he's calmed down a bit from the initial hit.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Staehilomyces (Dec 21, 2017)

Here's a link to a S. heros bite report. The pede woke up from the sexing procedure and bit him three times.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQb7Up3BJb-/


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## Dennis Nedry (Dec 21, 2017)

dangerforceidle said:


> But he's also done everything on the Schmidt pain index for insect stings all the way up to tarantula hawks, bullet ants, and warrior wasps.  Is an Asian centipede worse than those?
> 
> Surely there is some over-acting, but he's definitely no stranger to high-powered bites and stings.  He does a fairly good job of describing what sort of sensation the pain feels like once he's calmed down a bit from the initial hit.


Asian centipedes, especially dehaani, are LEAGUES above any of the Hymenopterans when it comes to pain. Also he hasn't done everything on the Schmidt pain scale, there's about 70 more insect stings to go before he's done the whole scale


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## dangerforceidle (Dec 21, 2017)

Dennis Nedry said:


> Asian centipedes, especially dehaani, are LEAGUES above any of the Hymenopterans when it comes to pain. Also he hasn't done everything on the Schmidt pain scale, there's about 70 more insect stings to go before he's done the whole scale


True, but he's done the "top" 5-6 (all rated 3.5 or higher out of 4).  Peterson and his team also found an executioner wasp on the same excursion as the warrior wasp, a species fairly newly discovered and not covered under the pain index.  They teased another video on the way.

I wasn't aware that centipede bites were _that_ painful -- my presumption was that the Schmidt pain index existed because those were some of the most painful stings or bites in general, but if Schmidt was an entomologist specializing in Hymenopterans it would explain the focus of the list.


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## Dennis Nedry (Dec 21, 2017)

dangerforceidle said:


> True, but he's done the "top" 5-6 (all rated 3.5 or higher out of 4).  Peterson and his team also found an executioner wasp on the same excursion as the warrior wasp, a species fairly newly discovered and not covered under the pain index.  They teased another video on the way.
> 
> I wasn't aware that centipede bites were _that_ painful -- my presumption was that the Schmidt pain index existed because those were some of the most painful stings or bites in general, but if Schmidt was an entomologist specializing in Hymenopterans it would explain the focus of the list.


Yeah, there's only Hymenoptera on the index. He wrote a book which is apparently really good. Centipede bites are apparently some of he most painful in the animal kingdom, right up there with stingray and stone fish stings. I've personally never been bit though

Reactions: Informative 1


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## dangerforceidle (Dec 21, 2017)

Dennis Nedry said:


> Yeah, there's only Hymenoptera on the index. He wrote a book which is apparently really good. Centipede bites are apparently some of he most painful in the animal kingdom, right up there with stingray and stone fish stings. I've personally never been bit though


Very interesting.  Centipedes are pretty far outside my wheelhouse, I know next to nothing about them.

Time to read some bite reports.


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## Nada (Dec 21, 2017)

I got nailed by a subspinipes a couple years back. if heros, is anything like a subspinipes, I think he took it pretty darn well.


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## Scoly (Dec 21, 2017)

Staehilomyces said:


> Here's a link to a S. heros bite report. The pede woke up from the sexing procedure and bit him three times.
> https://www.instagram.com/p/BQb7Up3BJb-/


That report is for a 6" heros, the one in Coyote's video looks like a good 8" with a solid body mass, and that will have made a difference. I'm not qualified to comment on relative bite pains as I've only taken one bite from a centipede (and one from a skink, a cat, a human and the latter one hurt most) but I think the main gist of it is that heros bites are not to be cast away lightly simply because they're not in the Asian supspinipes complex.


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## Dennis Nedry (Dec 22, 2017)

Scoly said:


> That report is for a 6" heros, the one in Coyote's video looks like a good 8" with a solid body mass, and that will have made a difference. I'm not qualified to comment on relative bite pains as I've only taken one bite from a centipede (and one from a skink, a cat, a human and the latter one hurt most) but I think the main gist of it is that heros bites are not to be cast away lightly simply because they're not in the Asian supspinipes complex.


Oh of course a heros bite is nothing to ignore, but he could've picked a worse pede while he was over in Asia filming


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## Staehilomyces (Dec 22, 2017)

I don't recall Coyote going to Asia. Anyway, that size difference is a factor I forgot to accommodate, and the difference in mass between Azog and Gothmog (my two biggest pedes) illustrates clearly how much difference a single centimetre of length makes, let alone a couple of inches.
Still, he could have been doing a bit of exaggeration. He spent so much time going on about how the pede was the animal he was most scared of, so I suppose he had no choice to say it was worse than the bullet ant.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## pannaking22 (Dec 22, 2017)

Dennis Nedry said:


> Yeah, there's only Hymenoptera on the index. He wrote a book which is apparently really good. Centipede bites are apparently some of he most painful in the animal kingdom, right up there with stingray and stone fish stings. I've personally never been bit though


I can vouch, the book is a good read. Can't vouch for pede bites or stingray and stone fish stings though lol.


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## Ratmosphere (Dec 22, 2017)

The follow up.


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## emplosion (Dec 22, 2017)

I'm not really a huge fan of this guys content. A lot of it feels forced and accentuated.

Reactions: Agree 4


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## Venom1080 (Dec 22, 2017)

I heard from a very experienced centipede keeper, and i quote; "No S heros on a first time hit would hurt superrrr bad, but considering what he's taken, I'm a tiny bit surprised."

This was a response when I asked whether he thought it was a overreaction.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## dangerforceidle (Dec 22, 2017)

emplosion said:


> I'm not really a huge fan of this guys content. A lot of it feels forced and accentuated.


I think his content is aimed at younger audiences, trying to foster an interest in the natural world.  His facts aren't perfect, and it's clear that his knowledge of invertebrates in general is pretty lacking, but otherwise I think he does a decent job of building excitement and curiousity.  Facts can always be corrected or updated as one learns, but creating an interest and desire to learn about nature is important and can be more difficult to achieve.

He's not perfect, but he has his place.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 4


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## LawnShrimp (Dec 22, 2017)

Agreed here; he probably is overreacting. I mean, the guy does stuff like this pretty often from the look of his channel. I doubt that even a big heros will be able to physically knock over an adult male human, let alone make one that practically gets bitten by stuff for fun (or views) writhe in the dirt. (I mean, I would though. )
Heros is still pretty bad though, and some larger specimens have been compared to rattlesnakes in terms of pain. I don't doubt it hurt a lot, just that he's exaggerating quite a bit. If he is that susceptible to venoms, maybe he shouldn't be doing this regularly.

Still, I gotta say, most species still hurt way more than heros. From what I've seen, pain scale for most people is like loosely this: [EDIT; fixed an error] rhysida, otostigmus sp. < polymorpha < ethmostigmus sp. < mutilans < SA giants <heros < alternans < subspinipes < hainanum < hardwickei, dehaani < Riau Giant.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Ratmosphere (Dec 22, 2017)

SA giant bites are worse than heros?


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## Staehilomyces (Dec 22, 2017)

I disagree with that. Centipede Whisperer, who has been envenomated by a lot of pedes, says they're stronger than polymorpha but weaker than heros. Also, I think some forms of E. trigonopodus are probably weaker than polymorpha.


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## LawnShrimp (Dec 22, 2017)

Staehilomyces said:


> I disagree with that. Centipede Whisperer, who has been envenomated by a lot of pedes, says they're stronger than polymorpha but weaker than heros. Also, I think some forms of E. trigonopodus are probably weaker than polymorpha.


Fixed. 

I remembered he compared them to heros, but not in which direction. Thanks for clarification! Regardless, heros is about midway in the pain scale, definitely not at the bottom or the top.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Staehilomyces (Dec 22, 2017)

I'd say it's substantially above midway; only S. alternans and the Asian pedes surpass it.


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## Dennis Nedry (Dec 23, 2017)

LawnShrimp said:


> Agreed here; he probably is overreacting. I mean, the guy does stuff like this pretty often from the look of his channel. I doubt that even a big heros will be able to physically knock over an adult male human, let alone make one that practically gets bitten by stuff for fun (or views) writhe in the dirt. (I mean, I would though. )
> Heros is still pretty bad though, and some larger specimens have been compared to rattlesnakes in terms of pain. I don't doubt it hurt a lot, just that he's exaggerating quite a bit. If he is that susceptible to venoms, maybe he shouldn't be doing this regularly.
> 
> Still, I gotta say, most species still hurt way more than heros. From what I've seen, pain scale for most people is like loosely this: [EDIT; fixed an error] rhysida, otostigmus sp. < polymorpha < ethmostigmus sp. < mutilans < SA giants <heros < alternans < subspinipes < hainanum < hardwickei, dehaani < Riau Giant.


I've never heard of the Riau giant before reading this, looked it up and I found a video of a guy who got one to bite him and it seems like a really placid pede. It gave him a couple warning bites without puncturing the skin before envonomation and it was pretty calm walking around his arm.

Edit: here ya go


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## Staehilomyces (Dec 23, 2017)

That's because the pede was semi-socialised, so it was quite calm. Here's a link to an IG vid of a fully socialised Riau giant being handled by the same person: 
https://www.instagram.com/p/BdB6lsDnCoh/?taken-by=the_centipede_whisperer

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Dennis Nedry (Dec 23, 2017)

Even still, they don't seem to have dehaani's reputation for aggression and speed from what I've heard. Also thanks for the link


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## Staehilomyces (Dec 23, 2017)

True. They don't seem that aggressive, but are apparently very fast when they want to be.
I'd probably say S. dehaani is more dangerous overall, due to temperament, and the fact that it is much, MUCH more frequently encountered than the Riau Giants.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Staehilomyces (Dec 23, 2017)

One thing also, I feel like this video might generate a lot of hate towards centipedes. Many people (myself among them), would've felt sorry for Coyote when watching him hunched up in agony, and I daresay that many people would gain a hatred of such creatures after watching that.
Coyote says that he wants to educate people on these misunderstood animals, something I would venture to say everyone on this forum sympathises with. However, his constant description of centipedes as "living nightmares" is very counterproductive to his professed aim.

Reactions: Agree 7


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## pannaking22 (Dec 23, 2017)

Staehilomyces said:


> One thing also, I feel like this video might generate a lot of hate towards centipedes. Many people (myself among them), would've felt sorry for Coyote when watching him hunched up in agony, and I daresay that many people would gain a hatred of such creatures after watching that.
> Coyote says that he wants to educate people on these misunderstood animals, something I would venture to say everyone on this forum sympathises with. However, his constant description of centipedes as "living nightmares" is very counterproductive to his professed aim.


The guy is a piece of crap and is doing more harm than good. He has misidentified species and basically only talks about them in terms of how much they can hurt you and how scary they can be. He's just willing to do whatever it takes to get more views and video shares. It's only a matter of time before he tries to one up himself too much and messes with something that does some major damage (maybe some Asian centipedes, maybe some of the nastier buthids...). That'll be the end of his BS, whether because it was too intense or because he's going in the ground, but unfortunately the internet is forever and those videos won't ever be taken down. 

Guarantee this video is going to cause more people to go out of their way to kill centipedes instead of just being afraid of them and running away. Centipedes are already on pretty tenuous footing (no pun intended) with the public on their best day, so something like this is going to probably set them back a ways.

Reactions: Agree 7


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## darkness975 (Dec 23, 2017)

emplosion said:


> I'm not really a huge fan of this guys content. A lot of it feels forced and accentuated.


@pannaking22 


I agree with you both,  but the last time I said something along these lines I got jumped by people defending this clown's antics so now I just stay quiet about it.

Reactions: Lollipop 1


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## NYAN (Dec 23, 2017)

Personally I agree his reaction was exaggerated and I have suspected with his other videos he does the same. It would be nice if he decided to educate about the animals in his videos only instead of letting them bite and sting him. This makes viewers associate the animal with pain instead of beauty etc.


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## NYAN (Dec 23, 2017)

Funny thing though, at the time of him releasing the video, I was in Arizona looking to find one.


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## pannaking22 (Dec 23, 2017)

darkness975 said:


> @pannaking22
> 
> 
> I agree with you both,  but the last time I said something along these lines I got jumped by people defending this clown's antics so now I just stay quiet about it.


Ugh, the whole "he's popular on YouTube so he knows things" syndrome. Credit where credit is due, he throws a few factual pieces of info in there, but the drama and (potentially unintentional) fearmongering don't really help. Dude is lucky the Schmidt pain scale was already out there so he could start with that.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## miss moxie (Dec 23, 2017)

pannaking22 said:


> Ugh, the whole "he's popular on YouTube so he knows things" syndrome. Credit where credit is due, he throws a few factual pieces of info in there, but the drama and (potentially unintentional) fearmongering don't really help. Dude is lucky the Schmidt pain scale was already out there so he could start with that.


Maybe we should send him a cease and desist. We'll sign it 'P.S. your hat is dumb.'

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## Venom1080 (Dec 23, 2017)

pannaking22 said:


> The guy is a piece of crap and is doing more harm than good. He has misidentified species and basically only talks about them in terms of how much they can hurt you and how scary they can be. He's just willing to do whatever it takes to get more views and video shares. It's only a matter of time before he tries to one up himself too much and messes with something that does some major damage (maybe some Asian centipedes, maybe some of the nastier buthids...). That'll be the end of his BS, whether because it was too intense or because he's going in the ground, but unfortunately the internet is forever and those videos won't ever be taken down.
> 
> Guarantee this video is going to cause more people to go out of their way to kill centipedes instead of just being afraid of them and running away. Centipedes are already on pretty tenuous footing (no pun intended) with the public on their best day, so something like this is going to probably set them back a ways.


I take it you mean the "dangerous wandering spider " he found?

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Staehilomyces (Dec 23, 2017)

That wandering spider was a Cupiennius coccienus. They're not dangerous at all.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Beer 1


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## Staehilomyces (Dec 23, 2017)

One outcome of this video I'm sure will happen will be that people who would normally have just given a centipede a wide berth and left it alone, would now find incentive to target and kill any that they come across. After reading the comments on his IG, FB and YT, my fear was confirmed.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Dennis Nedry (Dec 23, 2017)

Yup. That's what happens when an animal that most people dislike has a video that goes viral on the Internet. Take for example Steve Irwin, he did some similar things but he educated people and brought understanding about many feared species, not to mention he was actually involved in conservation efforts. Coyote wants views and that's about it

Reactions: Like 1


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## Staehilomyces (Dec 24, 2017)

I'd almost like to make videos addressing this pede bite; Coyote, despite the flaws in his productions, seems like a nice guy. However, these days, criticism of any kind would earn me a reputation as a hater from Coyote's fan pack, which appears to consist mostly of young kids and wannabe wildlife experts. Besides, my channel is way too small, and any criticism of a channel as big as Coyote's would earn me enough backlash to destroy my channel's credibility. Maybe I will once I get more subs; I'm relying principally on handling videos to get me the most internet attention.


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## styrafoamcow (Dec 24, 2017)

I think it would be worth doing. I considered it as well. If you look there are even hundreds of people making reaction videos which is so cringey to me. Coyote is such the over-acting drama queen. I watched his velvet ant sting video and laughed because I have been stung by one as a child and didn't bat an eye. I think it's good to inform people instead of pretending everything is so dangerous


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## micheldied (Dec 25, 2017)

LawnShrimp said:


> Still, I gotta say, most species still hurt way more than heros. From what I've seen, pain scale for most people is like loosely this: [EDIT; fixed an error] rhysida, otostigmus sp. < polymorpha < ethmostigmus sp. < mutilans < SA giants <heros < alternans < subspinipes < hainanum < hardwickei, dehaani < Riau Giant.


How did you come to this conclusion? S. mutilans bites are about as bad a mosquito bite. Ethmostigmus bites are worse. Also hainanum bites aren't that bad.


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## Staehilomyces (Dec 26, 2017)

I just noticed that Coyote had filmed a centipede vs millipede video. To be honest, I enjoyed watching it, even though he massively exaggerated the dangers of the S. polymorpha he was holding. I think I'll probably film my own centipede vs millipede video once I get some millipedes myself, going into more detail, and without demonising the centipede.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## LawnShrimp (Dec 26, 2017)

micheldied said:


> How did you come to this conclusion? S. mutilans bites are about as bad a mosquito bite. Ethmostigmus bites are worse. Also hainanum bites aren't that bad.


Sorry, I just looked through a bunch of old bite reports and other things I found. (I don't handle and I really don't want to get bitten so I have no firsthand experience) I was aware mutilans have a very weak bite for an Asian species but I've seen pictures of a badly swollen foot from a definitive mutilans. And hainanum are actually pretty nasty, I've alse seen pictures of that... But anyway this was just a 5-minute slap-together of fairly unreliable stuff to show that while heros is certainly stronger than a lot of 'pedes, it really is just in the middle as far as pain goes.

I'm not really taking sides here as far as the Coyote thing goes but exaggerating about a nonlethal and not too-painful bite can only bring about bad for centipedes, which are already hated by too many people.


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## TreebeardGoddess (Dec 27, 2017)

I go back and forth with my opinion of him. I found his vids where he works up the pain index pretty entertaining. This one seemed like an exaggeration to me. I applaud the whole, let's get people excited and interested in nature, but I don't think it's a good idea to keep talking about how scary something looks! The whole time I was watching that all I could think was that poor centipede was trying to run away and hide and couldn't - he looked like Fred Flintstone running super fast and getting nowhere.

Reactions: Agree 1


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