Scolopendra domestic - an insect detachment skolopendrovyh, the genus gubonogih millipedes. Scolopendra occur in different species and reach a size of 10 to 30 cm. Scolopendra lives in moist warm places, clefts of the cliffs of Australia, South America, the Crimea, Transcaucasia, the Mediterranean. Certain species can also be found in our apartments.
Types of scolopendra
Scolopendra home, or an ordinary flytrap can live right in the apartment of people. Under the bathroom or in the basement, where it's damp, it's warm and there's something to profit from. They feed such scolopendra with other small insects, perfectly destroy cockroaches. Scolopendra in an apartment can grow to a maximum of 10 cm, the average length of an insect is 4 cm.
More exotic appearance scolopendra, living in the tropics and subtropics. They feed such scolopends worms, spiders, beetles and larvae, but can also use wasps and flies. Most often these insects hide in crevices of rocks or other secluded corners and get out on a bright light only to hunt. Special lovers of nature and admirers of all the exotic hold such a scopolopra in the house as a pet. In size, huge scolopendra from South America can reach up to 20 cm in length, and giant scolopendra from Australia - even up to 30 cm!
In total about 600 species of scolopenders are known, differing in their habitat, species, color, length.
How does scolopendra look like?
Scolopendra home is an insect of brown or gray-black color with a body consisting of 15 divisions, one pair of legs on each. The front pair of legs is deformed into fangs to hunt for the victim, and the rear pair of legs is dragged along the ground to get caught up in the unevenness of the soil.
Appearance of tropical scolopendra differs in saturated bright color. In nature they are found in purple, red, yellow, and the legs are usually painted in bright orange.
What is dangerous scolopendra?
Home scolopends do not pose a great danger to humans. Inhabitants in dark corners, they show aggression only in case of fear in a direct encounter with a person. The front canines of the home scolopendra are very weak to bite the skin, however, try to avoid it. The bite of a scolopendra can swell and ache a bit like a bee sting.
If you crushed the scoop-droplet, do not touch it with your hands. The fact is that the mucus secreted behind the insects is toxic, it is better to wash this place in gloves.
More dangerous are insects that live in nature. Scolopendras of tropical species in their tentacles contain poison. The bite of scolopendra can lead to fever, and the place of bite - swelling. In this case it is better to see a doctor.
Scolopendra content
The content of scolopendra in the house or apartment is possible in the aquarium. Most often, scoloprene breeds tropical species, since they are large
The bottom of the aquarium is covered with a substrate from a mixture of peat and sand, which absorbs water well. The temperature for the content of scolopendra should not be lower than + 20-25С.
Feeding skolopendra better to produce only when she begins to look for food. Insects that skolopendra does not eat overnight are removed from the aquarium. Be careful when taking the scoopendra from the aquarium, for self-defense, it can bite you. Use protective gloves and do not let go of free running around the apartment.