Centipedes in the Tub!

A nice, hot relaxing bath sounds great, right?  Until you find this in your bathtub:

After getting some pictures, I went to get my husband to dispose of the creature in my tub (I write about bugs but prefer not to have actual contact with them!).  On our return, he was no where to be found.  I guess he didn't enjoy our photo shoot!

The name centipede comes from the Latin words centi meaning "hundred" and pes or pedis meaning "foot."  Despite the name, however, centipedes can have a varying number of legs from under 20 to over 300. 

My encounter was with the common house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata.  They are yellowish gray and around 1-2 in. long.  The body of a house centipede is flattened and segmented.  They have 1 pair of legs per body segment which are very long and slender (almost thread-like).  Each leg is slightly longer than the one in front of it.  This is the only centipede group to retain their original compound eyes which are sensitive to light.  If light is suddenly shone at them, they will retreat to a darker hiding spot.  Once again, I don't think the centipede liked our photo shoot.  

  The house centipede is originally from the Mediterranean region, but they have spread through much of Europe, Asia, North America, and South America. They are insectivores, dining on other insects and arachnids such as silverfish, ants, spiders, bedbugs, termites, and cockroaches. They inject venom through modified legs called forcipules. These are pincer-like appendages just behind the head and found only in centipedes. House centipedes are generally considered harmless to humans. Stings are uncommon and result in localized swelling and pain similar to a bee sting.

House centipedes are mostly nocturnal and can be found indoors and out. Inside they are most common in basements and bathrooms which tend to be humid. Outdoors, they can be found under large rocks, piles of wood, and compost piles. I hope my intruder found his way back outside.

I opted for a shower that day!