Do not confuse: Centipede and Millipede
They look similar to the untrained eye (adults about 15 cm long, brown color), but are very different: centipede runs fast, will attack (bite) when threatened, is rare (I have only seen a few); millipede runs slow, will curl up when disturbed, is frequent (in spring I have seen hundreds).
Centipede ตะขาบ dtà-kàap
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scolopendra_subspinipes
In 2013, I was chatting with a group of Thai who were sitting on the ground and having food and drink, when suddenly a centipede appeared and everyone jumped up, and someone grabbed a tool to kill the centipede.
The above mentioned centipede. Left dead, upper side (dorsal). Right decapitated, lower side (ventral).
Dead dry centipede in the forest:
read here as well:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8992725/Mother-plucks-one-year-old-boy-path-deadly-giant-centipede-Thailand.html
https://www.pattayaunlimited.com/thailands-monster-poisonous-centipede/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thai.species.id/permalink/788717708475029/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/naturalcambodia/permalink/3580107552092719/
Millipede กิ้งกือ gîng-geu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millipede
Their only defense is a smelly secret that can irritate skin but seems to deter predators (why else would there be so many centipedes?).
In spring, they can occur in large numbers. I count 7 or 8 millipedes in this picture:
I find it fascinating to watch the movement of their legs when they walk. Here in picture:
and here in video:
Two millipede curled up (for reproduction?). When disturbed, a single millipede curls up the same way.
Most millipedes are on ground, but recently I saw one climbing a tree:
read here as well:
http://www.buriramtimes.com/centipedes-millipedes-thailand/
https://www.thailandnatureproject.com/other-arthropods.html
https://litfl.com/the-shocking-pink-dragon-millipede/
Copyright 2021 ChristianPFC
The one climbing a tree is a millipede.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I corrected the mistake.
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