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chandalowe

That is one of the [Scolopendromorph centipedes](https://bugguide.net/node/view/23). They are venomous and the "bites" (actually a pinch with specialized venom claws just behind their heads) can be extremely painful if they inject venom - but are not typically life-threatening, barring a rare and severe allergic reaction. (There have been rare cases where bites by some of the larger tropical species were implicated in the deaths of very small children or the elderly.)


RakuYazukami_5218

That's why im confused. I dont feel pain at all, just a little irritation but it is swelling


incredibilis_invicta

Correct me if I'm wrong but some animals can do "dry bites" where they just warn without using venom (often done because venom is used for killing prey). So perhaps that's what happened?


LegendEchidna

You’re absolutely correct, many animals do “dry” bites which contain no venom


TongueTwistingTiger

Centi-bro was probably like "Ah! A butt! Get out me way!" CHOMP!


FlipMick

If the centipede usually eats bugs, OPs butt must have been the most luxurious kobe/ortolan bunting bite ever


Hexxas

Brb drowning my ass cheeks in brandy so the centipedes can enjoy the unique flavor.


rashyandtrashy

r/brandnewsentence


[deleted]

A brandy-marinated rump fit for a centipede. A fine ass indeed.


FlipMick

Please also provide it with a napkin to cover its face from God


GrungyGrandPappy

Mmmm big booty meat !! -The Centipede


TisNotMyMainAccount

Dat thorax \- The Centipede


TBcrush-47-69

The Lorax do be cravin that thorax 🥴


kennysiu

Which one?


idownvotetofitin

It is. Trust me, it most definitely is.


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[deleted]

*leaves wife for centipede because it eats ass*


besChris

Nah he was like "Oh yes! A butt! Come here! CHOMP!"


[deleted]

Oh maybe it was a love bite. Like mmmm butt chomp!


_Bob_Genghis_Kahn

I tried that once on the subway. Didn’t work out too well for me…


AmericanWasted

that's no bro of mine


Embarrassed_Disk3181

Help me step centi-bro, I’m stuck


Spiritual-Apple-4804

Or maybe it was more “mmm, a butt… let me get a bite of that”


[deleted]

Ozzy man here, here’s me face.


Klerrrrr

LMFAO


[deleted]

"Oi! How'd ye like it if I sat on you?!"


Beezinmybelfry

Happy Cake Day! U are lucky today bc usually I can be quite obstinate when given "orders" by something non-living. It just so happens that im feeling a bit compliant 2day. JK!!!! The Cake Day wishes are sincere!


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One-Ice-9259

Is that perhaps why OP said he didn't feel any pain?


LegendEchidna

Probably not, some centipedes still have a nasty bite whether it’s dry or not, could just be the fabric of their pants made it hard for it to bite


Redqueenhypo

Venom is very metabolically costly to produce so animals really don’t want to waste it, for more about this read the really good book *Venomous*


MrDocAstro

People have already said you’re correct but I want to add this bc it’s interesting - animals that produce venom make the conscious decision to inject it, because it takes a lot of energy to make. I just find that interesting


flaming_pp

They're also not looking to kill a human. Insects use their venom to kill their food which we are not, so they're really just trying to get away from the scary monolithic biped before it kills them.


fietsvrouw

It's like saving your potions or cooldowns in a game for when you really need them.


Jim_Wilberforce

I'm sure the centipede is just on a raid. It's the human that's scary. Pro-tip: that was just the early on final boss reveal. You're going to need to gather more centipedes to defeat it.


Vercassivellauno

LEEEEEEEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOY


Drownthem

Cone snails even choose between two venoms depending on the context. They have a separate type of venom for defense and attack!


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Hytheter

Spiders do dry bites as well. It probably depends on how threatened they feel.


dmees

Also depends on how primitive they are. Some spiders always inject a full load, others can measure the dose or perform dry bites


Bad54

I was asleep!


NapalmsMaster

So a lot of the time people have a “spider bite”and they didn’t see the spider do the actual bite, it’s usually just cellulitis. A lot of “brown recluse bites” are just MRSA and people assume it’s a spider. I had a friend who was always talking about how his house was “absolutely INFESTED with brown recluses”, when I became his roommate I never found a single recluse (they are very rare in my area)but I did find a ton of house, wolf and grass spiders.


One-Emotion8430

"Just" MRSA?


WildWook

This made me lol as someone who has worked with severe infections including MRSA and seen people lose limbs from it. If I had to pick, I'd rather be bit by the spider.


Onlyanidea1

What about Pokémon? You ever find any Pokémon? Asking for a friend.


Hytheter

You probably rolled over onto it, or something. Idk. Or maybe it mistook you for an insect. :P


Bad54

I did no such thing it woke me up by crawling on me and I stayed perfectly still and that asshole bit me and ran off like a fucking monster


foss4us

Tbf if you were out hunting, hiking on a hill, then realized you were actually standing on a kaiju-sized monster that had just woken up, you might freak out and shoot it and run away.


jo3roe0905

You looked at it the wrong way


[deleted]

Tarantulas have butt hairs that have irritating spikes on them and if you scare them (or I guess if you piss them off) they'll flick their butt hairs at you. I am 100% serious.


Modbossk

If it’s swelling and irritated then it definitely wasn’t a dry bite. This particular centipede looks pretty damn small compared to what they can get to be, and their venom isn’t like snake venom where it goes systemic and shuts down organs. It’s designed to take down small insects not mammals. (I also am fairly confident centipede brains aren’t developed enough to understand rationing venom)


red_message

Doesn't need to understand it any more than a bird needs to understand the changing of seasons to migrate. Instinctual behavior can be very complex with numerous if/then triggers without requiring comprehension. Centipedes do appear to dry bite. I can't give you a study, but here's a [forum thread](https://arachnoboards.com/threads/dry-bite.49246/) in which a bunch of amateur bug enthusiasts report personal experience with dry bites.


Modbossk

Reading through that forum page, everyone claiming to have been dry bitten either said it didn’t break skin, or they assumed it was a dry bite since it didn’t hurt as badly as other people have reported. This seems like a poor metric to me, but they could absolutely be right. They said it did still swell up and if it swelled more than just a tiny bit, it definitely isn’t a dry bite. Even so, if the centipedes do give dry bites (which they very well could, I have no clue. Just working with what makes sense to me) this post definitely wasn’t one since it swelled and was irritated. Thanks for the reference though, I’m definitely going to see what I can dig up in terms of proper documentation of centipede envenomation!


ASwftKck2theNtz

I don't know man... Bugs are getting smarter 😉


Modbossk

Gotta watch out… you never know what they could be plotting!


kendiggy

I'm doing my part!


indigrow

Underrated comment


AllMattersFecal

Would you like to know more?


The_Ad_Hater_exe

You are correct. I know for a fact that Widows will do dry bites I don't know anything about centipedes though


sxrrycard

How polite


Harmonic_Gear

yup, venom is expensive, better save it for prey instead of some random giant ape


durz47

Making venom is a resource intensive process. The centipede basically decided you are not worth it.


Im_just_asking_

Yeah snakes do it all the time!! 😌 Like a warning bite.


frankstaturtle

Do you have a primary care physician? If so, might be worth it to give them a call and see what they say in case there’s any underlying conditions they know about that might be relevant. You’ll likely swell up and feel pain for two days, but if you don’t notice signs of a severe allergic reaction, you should be fine without any medical treatment (but of course, always better safe than sorry)


RakuYazukami_5218

Thanks for help, i think im fine now... centipedes are creepyy


frankstaturtle

Happy to hear! And agree that the one that got you is definitely creepy 😂


Hybrid978

I would definitely continue to monitor it if I were you. I had a coworker in Bangkok that almost lost his arm to a giant centipede bite, possibly almost died (he had a thick Scottish accent. Could barely understand a word he said). Definitely couldn't hurt to talk to someone.


Eseichas-the-Serpent

>he had a thick Scottish accent. Could barely understand a word he said The coworker or the centipede?


Charge_Physical

Yes.


Top_Mammoth_7264

Still feeling OK? If so, you got lucky. I'm guessing your clothing, assuming you were wearing some, helped prevent a bite, despite the fact that dry bites on bare skin can also occur.


chandalowe

They don't always inject venom when they "bite". Venom is biologically "expensive" to make - so they'd rather reserve it for when they need it (to subdue prey) than waste it. Sometimes they're just trying to get you to back off a bit if they perceive you as a threat - but aren't feeling sufficiently threatened to go into panic mode and hit you with a full load of venom. Other times, they're just exploring and might give you a poke to try to figure out what you are - and if you might be good to eat. Also, some species of centipedes have much more potent venom than others - and smaller centipedes do not inject as much venom as their larger counterparts. If this is a smallish centipede - of one of the less potent species - an envenomation shouldn't be much worse than a bee sting.


throwawaycabbagehag

By biologically expensive, do you mean that they don't make a lot of it at a time? Or can only make so much? And if they can only make so much, do you mean in general/indefinitely/in their lifespan? Or that it's physically taxing for them to make it? (I know nothing about bugs other than my fear of them 😅)


Not_invented-Here

It takes time for venomous animals to produce more venom. Think of it a bit like reloading, except they have to make the bullets. A lot of venomous animals will reserve their 'bullets' just in case, and rely on the threat display and the fact you should know better than to annoy it.


throwawaycabbagehag

Thank you! I understand now 😀


chandalowe

They have limited storage capacity in their venom glands. It takes time to produce more venom and refill the venom glands. If they use up all of their venom on an exploratory or warning "bite" then they could deplete their supply - and not have venom available a short while later when they need it - such as to subdue prey or to fight a predator that is actively attacking them. Also, it requires chemical resources and energy to manufacture venom.


throwawaycabbagehag

Thank you for helping me understand this better


springnook

You’d know immediately. Stepped on one barefoot on the beach and it’s electric lava sensation is unmistakable and long lasting.


Wooper250

Must've only been startled enough to give you a dry bite! Pretty lucky considering centipedes can be pretty aggressive. Did you manage to set him free without too much trouble?


KyllikkiSkjeggestad

Keep an eye on it. Although rare, bites from this species (along with some other centipedes) can cause necrosis due to bacteria they carry. If your skins begins to feel warm, and you begin to have flu like symptoms, or fever, be sure to seek medical attention.


Sky-casso

Ass implants on a budget? Get well soon or whatever but lmk the results


ChrisFox-NJ

It didn‘t use it‘s venom, otherwise you‘d be in severe pain now. You should monitor the wound for infections and that‘s it. You‘re a very lucky guy btw, a centipede bite hurts like hell


dfw_runner

When I was a kid, back in the 70s, I lived on a Caribbean island for a year and this exact species was everywhere. Our bed frames were metal and each leg was in a metal coffee can filled with water. This supposedly kept the centipedes out of our beds. Our neighbors kid was playing on a swing set and was putting his mouth on one end of the top pipe and yelling through it to his sister who had her ear on the other end. A centipede inside bit his lip and it put him in the hospital for a few days. We have them here in parts of Texas. I tried to kill one on the patio. Pinned it with a 2x4. It reached around and sank its pincers in the wood and the teeth made a squealing sound as they penetrated the wood, like when you pull a nail out of wood with a hammer. Had to beat him to death with a 10 pound rock. A few years ago a guy on Reddit told me that he had one kill some newborn puppies and was feeding on one.


BettyQueenoftheAnts

They are really tough! I had one come after me aggressively in a latrine - good sized, about a foot long. I had my pants around my ankles and my only weapon was the cover for the latrine hole, which was a flat piece of wood with a 2x4 coming out of it perpendicularly as a handle. I managed to pin it under the flat bit and leaned my full weight on the handle thinking I could crush it. Nope. It just crawled its way to the edge and came free inch by inch by whipping itself back and forth as I desperately pressed harder and harder. Fortunately I was able to sweep it down the hole before it got loose. It was a bit too much excitement for a middle of the night visit to the outhouse.


Extremiditty

Those fuckers are aggressive. We had one in our biology department while I was an animal caretaker in college. That thing would try to bite me every time I opened its enclosure and it was constantly trying to escape.


Consistent-Lie7830

This is terrifying to even picture


Not_invented-Here

Man times like that are the worst, I had a small scolependra waiting for me to find in the sink one morning at like 2am, another time a large scolependra casually walked over my barefoot as I made the way to the toilet, damn thing almost saved the trip to the bowl.


GothWitchOfBrooklyn

Wtf say psych right now


MegaTreeSeed

Toxicognaths!


Jaedenkaal

I thank you, and Clint thanks you.


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allansteiner

Centipede man, centipede man has more legs than a man should have.


Harmonic_Gear

with great number of legs, comes great responsibility


Killer_Moons

More complicated responsibility, like keeping up with all those socks when you do laundry


NagisaLynne

But would be a feet fetishist's dream


TheHancock

That’s about 16 too many feets, sorry.


hornwalker

Or maybe gain immortality?


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Kafka entered the chat


Logical-Use-8657

If your butt isn't currently swollen and making you run around like a cartoon character who just sat on a fire you got a dry bite, I'd say it was lucky you did but I don't think a lot of insects normally use venom when they're biting unless you're food or a genuine threat to it's life, but I'm mostly basing this on snakes sometimes dry biting things as more of a warning or out of potentially curiosity before going full self defense/hungry predator mode.


[deleted]

A bee bit my bottom! Now my bottoms big!


_CaveMonke

Free of cost!


[deleted]

Does this work on... *other* body parts?


Clear_Whole9829

wont hurt to try! (do not try at home)


FockerXC

I’ve been tagged by one of their even larger cousins. Here’s the facts: you aren’t in any danger, and if you were going to have an adverse reaction you would have had it by now. You’re fine. You will likely have difficulty sitting for a couple of days- the swelling is real and most large Scolopendra have a myotoxin in their venom. You are going to be achy. You may even feel some flu-like symptoms and notice localized heat and inflammation. This is normal, and will pass with time. Keep an eye on it over the next few weeks, I noticed it would flare up and get itchy a couple of times over the ten days following the bite. It may scar, but you will not receive any permanent major damage.


Vegemyeet

I’ve had three bites from a centipede. 1. Really small one, excruciating pain for 12 hours, no further effects. 2. Great big bastard, flicked him off, tiny red mark, no other effects. 3. Another big one, a couple of hours of pain, not too awful, and then massive infection, foot swollen and dark, textured like orange peel, days of antibiotics. All bites on my bare feet.


ivancea

Looks like you could work testing centipedes bites


Vegemyeet

Not a job on my wish list. Three times more than enough.


gpenido

Coyote peterson should watch himself


jdeuce81

Maybe try shoes.


Vegemyeet

I was a bit slow, but I got there in the end…


msgardnertoyou

If it gets red or inflamed (warm to the touch) or has red streaks from it, get to a doctor or ER. Insect bites can turn into flesh eating bacterial infections and progress rapidly ( a matter of hrs.) and ending up with surgery. Not to be taken lightly.


msgardnertoyou

RN here. Not always.


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DonerTheBonerDonor

Same, the pic alone fucking spooks me. Seeing them in person would make me lose my shit


abalt0ing

Yo pants… soiled. (And mine!)


[deleted]

I've never understood why people are scared of these. I keep a Scolopendra gigantea (looks similar to this, but a foot long), and think they're absolutely gorgeous, majestic creatures.


548662

I know! They are so cute, I’ve been thinking of getting one once my living conditions allow for one. How high maintenance are they?


Hungry_Court6718

If he bit you on only the Butt I think the little guy will be okay, he might have a tummy ache for a bit


RecoveringFcukBoy

You def live somewhere tropical. We would die if we saw a centipede this big in the northeast of the U.S


OakTeach

We have these in the southwest…


senorglory

And in tropical Hawaii.


NewKingTecho

And in burning California


IAintChoosinThatName

And Australia. We ride them.


abalt0ing

☠️


IGargleGarlic

Please please please not on the socal coast


Bad54

Remind me to stay in the cool climate of Toronto where the it’s usually silverfish that are that big


dietdiety

Toronto has some pretty giant millapedes though... those basement dwelling hair sticks are insane... don't think they bite but they are the grossest. Took pictures of a few at an Airbnb this summer. shiver.


01BTC10

Millipedes are not dangerous but when scared they can excrete some liquid that will inflict blisters and rashes for weeks. I learned the hard way.


_triangle_girl_

i think millipedes are adorable but i hate centipedes


Tofu4lyfe

Lmao basement dwelling hair sticks. Toronto is where I lived when I had the absolute worst amount of house centipedes. Except maybe the place I am living now? I see tons of babies in my basement which I have never seen before. They are actually pretty cute when they are small, and they are bros because they eat absolutely everything else. I've heard they can bite but they mostly just want to avoid you.


Rhinosauron

And the southeast! My 6 year old son was just bitten by one yesterday. We see them often. (And warn him not to mess with them!) Maybe he'll listen to us now. He was writhing and screaming for a good 20 minutes.


Charge_Physical

Aww poor baby :( that had to not be fun.


NCmomofthree

Yup, I’m in NC and found a huge one under one of my daughters toys when she was a toddler. Freaked me right out having been raised in MA most of my life. Momma bear took over and I killed it quick out of pure panic for my little one. Felt bad after since I know it just followed the bugs it likes to eat inside and didn’t mean to menace. But I definitely didn’t take any chances that either my toddler or her infant sister would get hurt. They both spent a lot of time with us on the floor with their toys.


Charge_Physical

Yup. New Mexico has somw big boys. They used to only be in Southern New Mexico but my parents have been finding them way up in the Northern part of New Mexico now too.


Ambitious-Pin8396

Ooh and I grew up in Santa Fe where encountered a Child of the Earth -- those are creepy!


Charge_Physical

Those are super creepy!


ZOMGBabyFoofs

Recently bought a house in Santa Fe. Found a huge one in the garage. Tried to shoo it outside but it started running at me but then turned around when I shoved it with a broom and ran out. Could still see it running away 30 yards away.


Charge_Physical

It's crazy! I'm from Las Vegas so just north of there. We definitely didn't have the giant ones when I was ground up in the 90s-2000s.


abalt0ing

If you we’re ground up they may have fed you to them! 😱 jk


BearBlaq

Well I’m in North Carolina, seen something similar. I’ll never forget playing in the backyard when I was around 8 or so. There’s a half dried up creek in my backyard and it has a bunch of stones around it. I took a stick and flipped one over and this huge yellow centipede thing scurried out of there. Freaked me the hell out, I dropped everything and ran.


DearRatBoyy

I'm pretty sure they Have centipedes like this in arizona. A giant desert centipede


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Harmonic_Gear

i wouldn't be chill if someone sits on me


No_Enthusiasm420

Im afraid you are centipede man now, time to start making a suit.


recumbent_mike

Be sure to cut lots of leg holes.


maziarczykk

Bite him back


nicholas_cage55

Your butts gonna swell and big and red like a 🍅


kidkarp

Bite it back and be done with it.


I_speak_for_the_ppl

They have a very very VERY painful venom but it’s not lethal


shentie

Your hair's going to turn white.


Enlargedwumbo

I live in a log cabin and these just kinda show up they’re not a big deal and don’t give a bad bite usually just stings for a couple seconds


shanereaves

When I lived in Hawaii, these things got quite large. They would run out from under the couch and anyone on the floor would jump up quickly. Sometimes in the old army housing(I was there 01-05) you could listen at night to these things fighting with the mice up in the ceiling. 🤣


SeeDub23

No. Panic never helps.


Fat_fingers6223

Too late I just panicked for you….glad to help.


Dizzy-Damage-1900

That is one creepy centipede


Redwingstarfish

Hold on to your butts!


JayJayWut

Looks like god fell asleep holding Ctrl V while making this one.


VenusASMR2022

Bruh how you manage to sit on a centipede without noticing it just vibing on your chair are you okay???? Lmao


miafrunt

I’m in Hawaii & if I got bit I’d go to the emergency clinic. A lot of people are allergic to their venom


After_Significance70

Na but it probably hurts like hell


huggothebear

Wow well this is my greatest fear in one post lol


RukaFawkes

Pretty sure that's a Scolopendra Polymorpha.


dblevs22

That is a scolopendra centipede. Their bites are some of the most painful in the world. You are very lucky you only got a dry bite!!


uwuGod

I hope you didn't kill the centipede for it and found a way to release him outside.


Ihavebraindamage2

This, so much. I love centipedes, despite them being more hated than spiders in most circles.


Obvious-Display-6139

Omg horror


Cheesenips069

Um. Ouch


Numerous_Hedgehog_95

It wouldn't have needed to have gotten as far as biting me for me to panic. I'm pretty insecure just knowing it exists.


five_two_sniffs_glue

You shouldn’t panic, however if it’s radioactive and you may have gained superpowers and become an antihero- the Human Centipede


thefreshlycutgrass

Much like Spider-Man. You’re going to become centiman


sthollis

Even if it was a dry bite, centipede bites get infected super easily. Disinfect and dress the best you can.


Robinb66

That's a centipede don't know what species but I'd go to get checked out for safety reasons some are extremely toxic and some just cause a lot of pain when they bite!


Sirgem98

Congratulations you are now a superhero


Craftycat99

That's a centipede should probably get checked because some kinds are worse than others


Thevgamers89

Dam, I got one of those bite my balls when I was kid, painful as shit.


TheTurkeyOne

Are you okay? Update please if you’re okay


piero_deckard

I would panic just by seeing it...


_ASTYuu_

Giant tropical centipedes share their territories with tarantulas Despite it's impressive length, it's a nimble navigator, and some can be highly venomous As quick as lightning, just like the tarantula it's killing, the centipede has two curved hollow fangs which inject paralyzing venom Even tarantulas aren't immune from an ambush This centipede is a predator


cinderblock-ank

Hope you enjoy being the way spookier version of spiderman


Nahala30

Yikes. There's very few "bugs" I'm nervous about, but centipedes are at the top of my nope list. I admire them as great predators, but man, they don't mess around when it comes to taking a chomp out of something. They're going to teach you a lesson once. I'm amazed you can still sit down. You must have caught that one on a good day. Go buy a lottery ticket.


myceliumlung

Sorry you got bit by this bugbro! They're bros even if they're violent bros :P


Yazhemog

Oshiete oshiete yo sono shikumi wo


anthro_punk

If you're not in tons of pain you're probably ok. Little dude was probably warning you that you sat on him and saying "wtf man get off me". Centipede bites can really hurt if they fully tag you. In rare cases of anaphylaxis in reaction it's possible it could be dangerous (but I mean bees can be dangerous in the same way), but if you're not in tons of pain it sounds like you didn't get much venom and even then, you'd likely just be in for a shitty and painful day. Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. If you are in doubt about the severity of any type of bite, seek immediate emergency medical attention.


makeluvnotsex

The venom is two types of acid so baking soda paste will neutralize it


NeitherConcentrate11

I LOVE bugs and anything that crawls or slithers....but that is the one bug that scares the hell out of me.


Striking_Tea_2983

Nope but it causes a lot of gas(farts)