What on God's green earth is this?

[Bry]

I saw these bugs occasionally when I lived in upstate New York. I grew up in Colorado, and I have never seen these bugs anywhere except New York. I've been told they are "air pedes". Due to the longer legs sticking out the back end, I've always referred to them as "ass stick bugs". So what are they called?

Bry

 

[Code Monkey]

That is a Scutigera species, commonly called house centipedes. They were originally from Mexico and have spread throughout North America. They can't really bite people and hunt household vermin.

 

[Botar]

Thanks for the response CM. I've always wondered about them as well. I guess since they are harmless to us and somewhat beneficial, I need to leave them be when I run across them.

Botar

 

[Mister Internet]

Hehe.... here is where I jump in with my 4 months' worth of experience keeping them...

I've been monitoring two (ok, make that one... by the way, they can NOT co-habit ) Scutigera sp. centipedes in my care for the last 4 months.... my experience is that, for pure show value, they are MUCH better predators than even Scolopendra! Granted, the drawbacks are that they don't get that big, and they don't live that long, but they are still VERY impressive bugs. The ones in my care molt almot every 3 weeks! The grow very quickly, and eat pinheads almost before they hit the dirt... seriously... all you need for them is a cup and pinheads... they don't really seem to give a rip about humidity, hides, substrate, or water... they are VERY hardy...

anyway, if anyone wants to know more, just post here or PM me, but they are AWESOME pedes to watch... drop a couple of pinheads in their cup and they just demolish them...

 

[Godzilla2000]

Originally posted by Code Monkey
That is a Scutigera species, commonly called house centipedes. They were originally from Mexico and have spread throughout North America. They can't really bite people and hunt household vermin.

Those things are really messy when you squish them too. I've crunched a few of those monsters in my time.

 

[Code Monkey]

Originally posted by Godzilla2000
Those things are really messy when you squish them too. I've crunched a few of those monsters in my time.

The lesson therein being: don't crunch beneficial predators

 

[Godzilla2000]

Originally posted by Code Monkey
The lesson therein being: don't crunch beneficial predators

Yes but they don't do anything except run across my linoleum floor.

 

[Mister Internet]

You may want to keep your centipede-squishing comments to yourself... thanks... they are no more "monsters" than tarantulas...

 

[Nixy]

I have one that I know of on each level of my house I see now and then.
My question is can they hurt the T's?
I can see sling but any concerns for bigger T's?
Because the one on my main level I caught scrounging a cricket from one of my Seeminni tanks. I flipped his little butt out and he teleported under my couch.
But I in general leave them alone when I see them.
Just wondering if I have an issue here with them and my bigger T's.
Thanks.

 

[Mister Internet]

I don't think you have anything to worry about... they are very fragile when compared with other centipede species, and their mouth parts are very tiny in relation to the size of the rest of their body. I could see a large one (1.5") nabbing and eating a .25" or .5" sling, but if the taratula was much bigger than that, the pede would be a snack. They are simply not built as sturdy as the thick-bodied pedes.

 

[Nixy]

Ok good.
Then I'll let the little bugger stick around.
He can have all those )*&(*&%^^%$$#,, crickets that get away....
They are Really nifty little bugs....

And thanks!