What kind of environment?

[SpiderFood]

Hey guys, I was wondering what kind of environment to look for pedes in. Characteristics of thier hides or just where to look in general. I am from Kentucky but we do have pedes here, small as they may be. I would like to catch a few and maybe post some pics to learn about what kind of pedes we do have here. Thanx, Dale

 

[Wade]

Assuming we're talking centipedes, you might want to purchase the book "A Synopsis of North American Centipedes of the Order Scolopenropmorpha (Chilopoda)" by Rowland M. Shelley. I think there's a link to the a site (the Virginia Museum of Natural History) where you can purchase it in the "Links" section of Arachnopets.

This isn't really a field guide since it doesn't have pictures of all the species, but it does have range maps and identification keys. Once you know what's in your arear you may be able to find the pics on the web.

Looking through it briefly, it looks like you don't have the genus Scolopendra, but you do have others in the order. Probably the biggest pede in your area is Hemiscolopendra marginata, sometimes called in the trade the "Florida Blue Centipede", although it obviously lives well outside Florida. I think it's pretty much statewide in KY.


Wade