UPDATE: A New Friend

   Hello again! Our friend Least Lithobius (Lithobius microps) is doing better than I'd hoped! This time, I'm sure that's what he is because I got it confirmed on iNat shortly after uploading the last blog post about him. I wanted to give an update because it's been about two weeks since Joe brought him home and I thought I'd let you know how it's been going.

   I never thought I'd have a pet centipede, even just until Spring thaw so he can return to the outside. I've affectionately named him Cinder because of his reddish orange coloration. This is new from last post. Before, I didn't know him very well. Now, as I see glimpses into his life I find myself having a kinship with the little guy.

   I didn't know what we were going to do for a food source. He's a predator. It's cold here in the winter with no pet stores nearby. Where was I supposed to find bugs? Answer: Not bugs but worms. The store I work at sells worms for ice fishing so I grabbed a container of them. I give him a new worm or two every few days and he's still moving around so I think he's at least content with his worm buffet. 

   I put some soil from the worm container in a Tupperware container with some leaves for hiding. I wanted to give him a rock to hide under but I can't go far with the baby and all the nearby rocks are under feet of snow. His setup should do nicely until thaw.

   We have a routine. Every morning before I get ready for work I check on Cinder. I attempt to take pictures but he just moves so fast! I'll include some of the best ones though. I've gotten a few videos too which I uploaded to my TikTok. Then, I make sure his habitat is damp enough and add a little water if needed. Finally, I feed him if he needs it and close the cover loosely. This helps not scare him as much when I invade his space to feed or photograph him. 

    I'm really thinking we can make this work until Spring! Then, with a heavy heart, I'll release Cinder into the wild. I'll be sure to take a video of his departure. Until then, here are the best photos I've captured of our tiny friend. Until next time! 

Yours, 

Jade

A New Friend

   Hi again! I wasn't planning to write again until March but something came up, or rather something was caught! 

   My partner was doing his normal duties at work, sweeping and whatnot when another coworker came upon a centipede. They were going to kill him but Joe swooped in to rescue him, knowing I would want to see it. I'm happy that he did because he didn't deserve to die. He's such a beautiful creature although I will admit the way he moves freaks me out a little bit.

Note: This is a stone centipede. I haven't gotten in confirmed yet but I'm 90 percent sure it's Least Lithobius (Lithobius microps). They're very common in my area. 

   This is going to be a shorter post as I don't usually cover individuals because there tends to be less information when you get so specific. Regardless, I couldn't help but share this find so here's what I found on our friend. 

   Our stone centipede is in the family Lithobiidae. They tend to be quite small growing to about 1-2inches. It's red or orange in color depending on the individual. They have small poison claws on either side of its head. 

Note: Here is a photo of his head and those poison claws! His poison isn't harmful to humans but I bet a bite would still hurt!

   This species is the most commonly found centipede in my region, the Northeastern part of the United States. It also lives in England and South Wales and has been introduced to Tasmania.

   Stone centipedes like to hide in wood, under stones and rocks, in soil, and under small buildings. They're most common in gardens in dead or decaying wood, beneath stones and rocks, or under sheds. They are opportunistic carnivores preying on insects, spiders, and other small arthropods. They also dig burrows to hibernate through the winter months. They're fast so they're hard to catch and handle. Regardless, I want to try to give him a chance at life. I don't see centipedes very often. I guess I haven't been looking under enough logs and rocks! That makes taking care of him all the more interesting and fun. 

   Sending him back outside right now would be a death sentence. I don't have a food source right now which worries me. I've set him up in a Tupperware container with a couple holes poked in the top. It has a damp paper towel at the bottom for moisture and some leaf litter left over from the Fall. From what I've read, this should do. Like I mentioned above, the only thing I'm missing is a food source. Bugs are hard to come by in these cold winter months.

I hope we can keep him safe and healthy until its safe and to bring him outside again. I've already enjoyed watching him run around and clean his antennae. I don't know if we'll see him much now that he has places to hide but he's still swell to have around.

Note: Here's a picture of him cleaning his antennae. It was super cute. I have a video of it too.

As always, I hope you learned something! I also hope more people choose to relocate bugs (and myriapods) instead of killing them. They're actually helpful little predators who are harmless to humans. Until next time! 

Yours, 

Jade