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1/8 f/5.6 100.0 mm ISO 100

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

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macro
centipede
Oregon
tiger centipede
Canon 5D Mark II
Janet Brien
Scolopendra polymorpha


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Red Devil with 100 Feet

Red Devil with 100 Feet
[best appreciated at full size against black]

Do you know the difference between a centipede and a millipede? The obvious answer is the number of feet it has, but...have you ever COUNTED them? I didn't think so! :D A couple of weeks ago, I posted a picture of what I thought was a centipede, and guess what? I was WRONG!! I am blushing with embarrassment! However, I've corrected my error in that picture, and I PROMISE that THIS red devil is a CENTIPEDE!!

Here are the main differences between centipedes and millipedes:
Centipedes have long antennae and millipedes have short antennae.
Centipedes have one pair of legs per segment* and millipedes have two.
Centipedes have legs that visibly extend from the sides of the body and trail backward behind the body; millipede legs do not extend far out from the body and the last pair of legs are in line with the body.
Centipedes move very fast and millipedes are slow movers.
Centipedes can bite and millipedes do not bite.
Centipedes are mostly predators and millipedes are mostly scavengers.

*except for the first three segments, which have one pair each

This droplet-covered fellow was found under a log and from what I've read, I believe he's a Tiger Centipede. These are very common and found all over the Western U.S. and northern Mexico. They can be many different colors, including striped or solid red. They have a nasty bite, which makes sense, given its bright red warning color! If you'd like to know more about this centipede, Wiki has a page here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scolopendra_polymorpha

This image was taken in March, 2012.

tiabunna has particularly liked this photo


Comments
 tiabunna
tiabunna club
Thank you for the link to these great images, Janet. This fellow certainly is colourful!
3 years ago.

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