# Catching giant centipedes



## kendoka (May 22, 2011)

I have giant centipedes in my back yard (it's swampy area), and I was hoping to make some cash selling them.

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for catching them. The species is S. gigantea of the Puerto Rican variety.


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## J Morningstar (May 22, 2011)

something resembling a small lobster trap with a big cockroach at the other end?


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## Crysta (May 22, 2011)

i'd leave them there, i dont really aprove of capturing animals in your backyard and selling them.. 

I just go outside and pick them up when I see them under a rock....


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## Elytra and Antenna (May 23, 2011)

kendoka said:


> I have giant centipedes in my back yard (it's swampy area), and I was hoping to make some cash selling them.
> 
> I was wondering if anyone had any tips for catching them. The species is S. gigantea of the Puerto Rican variety.


 I doubt you're finding gigantea but the alternans there are really nice. I'd say get some thick gloves that allow for movement, I don't think there's an 'easier' way to catch them.


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## Comatose (May 23, 2011)

Do you have any clean buckets? If you can dig holes without severely damaging the surrounding environment, do so, and then stick buckets into the holes such that they are flush with the ground - the pedes will fall in and be unable to get out. This is apparently what they did to catch gigantea in Peru in the 90's. You can also catch them by hand, though I wouldn't recommend that if you don't have experience handling aggressive pedes.


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## kendoka (May 23, 2011)

Elytra and Antenna said:


> I doubt you're finding gigantea but the alternans there are really nice. I'd say get some thick gloves that allow for movement, I don't think there's an 'easier' way to catch them.


I did some searching around the internets and apparently there are several of species of giant centipedes (i.e. scolopendra) in puerto rico. Several sources confirmed that the Alternans lives here, and also Angulata. Gigantea however I'm not sure it lives here.

I found one website that says that Gigantea lives here http://www.petbugs.com/caresheets/Scolopendra-sp2.html

But I cant seem to find any other sources to confirm that. So I think you might be right. Although Wikipedia says they live on Hispaniola so it would seem odd that they don't live here.

And picking them up with thick leather work gloves were my first idea, I just wanted to see if there was a better way. Also, does anyone know if they can bite through gloves.


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## Elytra and Antenna (May 23, 2011)

Pitfall traps as mentioned may be your best method, for some reason passive trapping wasn't coming to mind but it's probably your best way to go.


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## super-pede (May 24, 2011)

Use and perfect the Iron thumb method. I have been bit through a leather glove before but it's not very likely that it will happen.

the iron thumb-
pinning the head of the centipede firmly put not to hard.then pick it up and put it into your container.


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## What (May 24, 2011)

I have it on somewhat decent authority that in SE asia chicken carcasses are used as centipede bait and many centipedes are collected by simply placing them out and checking under/around them daily. 

In my experience passive traps (pitfalls) are only useful for one very fat pede and the things it couldnt eat with it... (In my area, Eleodes, ironclads, etc.)


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## micheldied (May 24, 2011)

I'd do several methods, not just one.

Pitfalls work great, if the sides of the container are too slippery for the pedes to climb out.
But they might pose a threat to each other if there are multiple in the container.


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## kendoka (May 24, 2011)

Thanks a lot for the suggestions. 

I think I'm going to try the pitfall traps and looking under rocks and stuff. I've seen them before and they are fast so I'm not sure if I could catch them by hand, but I think I'll try.

Also how do you tell the difference between gigantea and alternans? Gigantea usually has light yellowish legs but I've seen some pictures of supposed gigantea that have darker legs. And some Alternans have light yellow legs as well.


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## Xenomorph (May 25, 2011)

kendoka said:


> Also how do you tell the difference between gigantea and alternans? Gigantea usually has light yellowish legs but I've seen some pictures of supposed gigantea that have darker legs. And some Alternans have light yellow legs as well.


To the color you should never look because you can safely determine that no species.

The biggest difference between these two species, the ringfurrow(anterior transverse suture) in the head plate on the  S.gigantea.


Scolopendra gigantea from Northern Peru







Scolopendra alternans from Dominican Republic







cheers


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## Comatose (May 25, 2011)

kendoka said:


> Thanks a lot for the suggestions.
> 
> I think I'm going to try the pitfall traps and looking under rocks and stuff. I've seen them before and they are fast so I'm not sure if I could catch them by hand, but I think I'll try.
> 
> Also how do you tell the difference between gigantea and alternans? Gigantea usually has light yellowish legs but I've seen some pictures of supposed gigantea that have darker legs. And some Alternans have light yellow legs as well.


The rules dictate that you must post pictures of any and all centipedes 

In all seriousness, when you catch some, just post pics here and folks will help you ID them.

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Xenomorph said:


> Scolopendra gigantea from Northern Peru
> 
> 
> 
> ...


God I miss those.


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## zonbonzovi (May 25, 2011)

Personally, all my 'pede catching has involved oblong container(tall Slurpee cups or long vials, depending on size) & something to "help" them change direction(stick, pen, paintbrush, etc.).  Soil in the cup makes it harder for them to distinguish between catch cup and ground.  Very much like wrangling one from an enclosure.

I might try the bating with chicken thing this summer, although I wonder what else it will attract?


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## micheldied (May 25, 2011)

zonbonzovi said:


> Personally, all my 'pede catching has involved oblong container(tall Slurpee cups or long vials, depending on size) & something to "help" them change direction(stick, pen, paintbrush, etc.).  Soil in the cup makes it harder for them to distinguish between catch cup and ground.  Very much like wrangling one from an enclosure.
> 
> I might try the bating with chicken thing this summer, although I wonder what else it will attract?


I use the same method when actively catching them, that or just placing a large container over the pede and sliding the lid under.

I was thinking of trying the bait thing, but I think the Varanus will get to it faster than the pedes...


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## zonbonzovi (May 25, 2011)

^I wish I could bait for Varanus outside my house


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## micheldied (May 25, 2011)

zonbonzovi said:


> ^I wish I could bait for Varanus outside my house


LOL Dealing with a big, angry Varanus Salvador is no fun.


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