3:00 snapshot #1635: Tuesday

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Venomous Eurasian arthropods, wild and domesticated

The house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata, has appeared on this blog a number of times proportionate only to the amount of needless distress this harmless animal seems to cause. The house centipede is distinguished among centipedes by having all its segment fused into a straight line. This, along with its 15 pairs of very long legs, allows it to run very quickly. These beneficial predators are native to the Mediterranean, but now are found in and around houses around the world. On Tuesday morning I found one quietly resting on the outside wall of my house.


Later on Tuesday I watched the first inspection of the honey bee hives at the zoo.