Crimean Scolopendra: what is dangerous, and how to prevent it from entering your home?
Content:
Scolopendra Crimean belongs to the species of ringed centipedes and is one of the most common in Europe. These creatures live in the wild, but often crawl into residential buildings. Their bites are quite painful, and therefore it is advisable to avoid meetings with them.
Description
As you can see in the photo, the Crimean skolopendra is a centipede whose body is covered with shell. Its covers can have a color from golden yellow to brown-olive. Along the body in two rows are short, but very strong legs, which are almost constantly in motion. The first pair of legs are powerful grasping jaws. On the head are two sensitive antennae with which the scolopendra palpates the path during movement, and a pair of small eyes.
On a note! With a body length of 10 to 15 cm, this creature is one of the smallest representatives of the scolopendra family.
Lifestyle
Crimean scolopendra prefers to lead a hidden lifestyle, while she perfectly knows how to sneak up quietly and also quietly hide. These arthropods run fast enough, which allows them to hunt very successfully. In the afternoon, these creatures hide in humid places: under a forest litter, in the lowlands between stones, in the ground layer of damp areas. Activity is shown with the onset of darkness.
The Crimean ringed scolopendra eats both insects and small animals, which it exceeds in size.
On a note! The venom of these arthropods is not as toxic as that of other closely related species.
In hunting, the scolopendra is helped by a good sense of smell and antennae located on the hind legs - they pick up the slightest vibration. Seed with numerous legs, the hunter overtakes the prey, crushes it under himself and inflicts several blows to disorient. And as soon as the victim freezes for a moment, the scolopendra bites her and immediately jumps to the side. Under the influence of the poison, the insect begins to weaken gradually, but at the same time some make attempts to escape. However, this venture is hopeless - a swift hunter does not lose sight of his prey for a second and applies a bite after a bite until she dies, after which the scolopendra starts a meal.
Breeding
The ringed scolopendra living in the Crimea is able to give offspring without fertilization, that is, without the participation of males. This type of reproduction is called parthenogenesis, the so-called virgin reproduction, when the female eggs have the ability to develop without being fertilized.
Young scolopendras differ from adults only in their size. They spend some time near the female, after which they disperse throughout the territory. In the fall, millipedes prepare for wintering - with their powerful legs they dig holes for themselves or simply burrow under the mossy snag. In the chosen place they sleep in splendid isolation until spring.
On a note! The Crimean ringed scolopendra becomes especially poisonous and aggressive in the spring, when the breeding season begins again. However, in the fall, her bite can not be called absolutely harmless!
Spread
There is a Crimean millipede on the entire territory of the Crimean peninsula, in the south in a slightly larger number. These creatures are able to inhabit in various conditions - both mountain sections and coastal areas are acceptable to them.
Toxicity
Since the Crimean scolopendra prefers to lead a hidden lifestyle and always disguises itself well, when on vacation, it is quite easy not to notice and disturb it. And since this arthropod is also very aggressive, with the slightest sense of danger it will attack.
Is the Crimean scolopendra dangerous for humans? The venom of these arthropods consists of a set of enzymes that can not only kill prey, but also digest its internal contents. For humans, this toxic secret is not of mortal danger, although it causes quite tangible pain. After a bite, the affected area can become very inflamed, often the body temperature rises, chills and aches appear. As a result, negligence can turn into a heavy retribution - a malaise that will last several days. However, usually all symptoms disappear after 2-3 days.
Advice! But despite this, after a scolopendra bite, it is still advisable to consult a doctor, especially when a child, an allergy sufferer or a person with weakened immunity appears in the role of the victim!
But not only the bite of the Crimean scolopendra causes pain. At the moment of fright, this arthropod releases a sticky substance, upon contact with which you can feel a strong burning sensation and itching. In addition, this secret in contact with the skin can provoke an allergic reaction.
Methods of struggle
Scolopendra Crimean often climbs into living quarters. Due to the special structure of the body and its flexibility, this creature easily creeps through the narrowest slots, under the entrance doors and even through the ventilation grilles with large cells. But at the same time, the Crimean scolopendra does not go unnoticed for a long time, and immediately the owners of the house ask themselves how to get rid of such an unpleasant and to some extent dangerous guest.
What is not worth doing?
To begin with, we will consider options that will not be effective, but at the same time it is to them that they first turn for help.
- If at the moment this large millipede is in your field of vision, then it will not work to kill it with a newspaper. First of all, this is due to the fact that she moves very quickly, and the dense shell reliably protects her flat body. Most likely, it will not be possible to trample, since the sole of slippers for the covers of this creature is soft and the scolopendra will simply squeeze into its surface for some time.
- As for the use of insecticidal aerosols, it is rather difficult to obtain the expected result in this case. Why? Scolopendra is not an insect against which the action of such drugs is directed, but because to kill it in this way you need a large amount of money - you will have to spend a full balloon of the drug on one millipede. And since these arthropods run very fast and hide at the slightest danger, prolonged spraying is not possible.
On a note! In order to destroy the Crimean scolopendra settled in your home, you must use solutions with a high concentration of the active substance!
- Adhesive traps against the Crimean scolopendra are also powerless. And even if it sticks and loses a few legs, then after a while they will grow back.
- And it’s not at all an option to take this predator with your hands or trample with bare feet - it will immediately begin to secrete toxic substance, and if possible it will instantly bite. In addition, even if this arthropod is injured, for a long time it will continue to wriggle and put forward poisonous paws.
Effective measures to expel scolopendra
In order for the Crimean ringed scolopendra to leave your home, it is necessary to create unfavorable living conditions for it:
- we carry out general cleaning in all rooms, after which we thoroughly ventilate them - in this case it is very important to eliminate humidity and dampness;
- if there are cockroaches, ants and other insects in your house, then you must certainly get rid of them, since they are the basis of the scolopendra’s diet;
Advice! And here it is advisable to use aerosol insecticides, which in a short time give a positive result!
- inspect the walls, floors and window sills for cracks and immediately close them;
- on the ventilation holes we install a grill with small cells.
In such conditions, the Crimean ringed scolopendra will not be able to live and is guaranteed to leave your home. You will only have to maintain low humidity and cleanliness in all its rooms.
(votes: 15, average rating: 4,53 out of 5)
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We had a rest with friends in the Crimea in the summer of 2017. This infection got into bed at night and either ran down my back or bit me - I don’t know, but there are still marks on my back, as my wife says: “It’s like three bullets were planted in the back ". The temperature rose, a strong allergic reaction, it is difficult to breathe. Instead of rest, injections, pills and ointments. True, for three days. Although nimble, an infection, but suffered a well-deserved punishment.
My husband left for work at seven, woke up quietly and left. I woke up after half an hour thinking that he tickled me a heel first, then a little knee and then a thigh from the inside. I still pulled my leg, leave me alone. I open my eyes in the room, but tickles someone under the blanket, I throw it back and OH GOD SCOLOPENDRA EPT. ... I jumped like a cat from a 2 meter bed. No burns, no bite. But from then on, these stsuki have been chasing me. My husband calls me the queen of the Scolopendra. They moved to the village now. There are nasty black centimeters of 15 cold solid creatures. I have two little children who are afraid for them to horror. Now at 10 pm one got out on the wall, she had only time to cut off her paw, it’s a pity not her head. Out of fear, two Soviet sofas were pushed aside, heavy. I don’t know where she crawled away, now the light in the mess is on, the furniture is rearranged, the whole ruffled carpet is sitting next to the child, and there is no sleep. HATE! ! ! ! ! Crimea Feodosia Kirov
Crawled his wife into the car, now we do not know how to get rid of ((
Today I discovered this offspring of Tartarus in the sink. I thought about how to kill for a long time, and decided to spray it with a window cleaner. The result was not long in coming. After 3 minutes she was dead, but before that she was running all over the sink. Be careful.
Household gas burner, which is screwed onto a gas cylinder. Instant effect))
Do not believe it, I met this creature today, on January 29, 2019, the Bars aerosol cat remedy fell under my arm - it took 15 seconds and it was a kapets. Feodosia, Crimea
Crimea, Saki May 25, 2019
Now she cleaned the house and of course I wanted to clean the floors. I decided to wet the rag, rinse and twist it, and only a minute later found a scolopendra on the rag? Kaaak? As she climbed into the house, we always check everything. And she didn’t sting me with a miracle? In the house the baby is 1 year old. Myself is not so sorry, but it’s dangerous for a child ... there is always a Raid spray in the house. He copes well with this muck, to spray on it for 7-10 seconds and within a minute she may die more. Is it tin, of course? All patience, I’ll go on reading how to get rid ??