Silverfish on my wall... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Jimellow · 07-26-2005, 10:24 PM

I was preparing to go to bed about an hour ago, and on the walk back from the bathroom to my bedroom, I noticed a silver fish / thousand legger on the wall, near the doorframe.

I am not a fan of these insects, but I won't kill them. It's location makes extraction risky, as if I try to prod it and catch it with a paper bag, and miss, the thing is likely to run anywhere, including up my leg.

The folks are asleep and waking them is not an option I am willing to consider. I am content to leave it alone and go to sleep, but then when I wake up, it will be gone, and I will just wonder where it is for days, even weeks.

I was very close to trying the folded paper and brown bag capture method, but opted not to, as if it misses the bag, the chances of it entering my room are greatly increased. As of right now, the chances of it entering my room are likely slim, due to it being "wedged" on the other side of the doorframe. In order to successfully infiltrate, I think it would have to go to the floor, and then enter my room the same way I do, as the door frame is seperate from the wall, and the insect too large to navigate over it (I hope?).

I've considered bringing its location to the attention of my cat, but ultimately that is just going to result in its death, and I don't want to be responsible for killing it, because I like animals, insects not as much, but still, random killing is stupid to me.

As I write this I poke my head around the doorframe to see if it still there.. The last three times it has been, but I am not sure which result I would prefer. If its there, at least I know where it is. If it isn't, it could be anywhere, and that is disturbing considering that I am starting to get tired.

This is likely one of the largest silverfish I've seen in my house. They are intriguing creatures, and they have lots of legs, which is what I think causes me to be leery of capturing them with my hand. As a kid, my dad would let them run up and down his arm while taking them outside, but just thinking about all those legs running up my arm and into my clothes makes me strongly re-consider finding my cat.

After opening up Microsoft Word and taking advantage of the embedded ruler, I've established that the silverfish is approxiamtely one inch long, legs included. It did twitch once while I was observing it, and it clearly has the speed required to evade my attempts at capture, which makes a miss too risky to consider. It appears to have about 16 legs on each side of its body. Its body seems to be multi-colored earth tones, and if it weren't in a shadow, and my house, I might be more obligued to look closer. I think it might be sleeping, as it did not react to various flashes from my cell phone's camera.

Below I have included a picture of the silver fish. They are common in this part of the country (East Coast, PA), and I don't think they are dangerous. They are a bit creepy, primarily because they really do seem to have a thousand legs.

The whole situation has put me on edge. We have fans going on upstairs, and I placed the potential capturing brown bag on top of the dresser, and it just caught a draft and was whisked away loudly, causing my to literally jump out of my seat. Upon further inspection, the bag is nowhere to be found, and I am not too inclined to start an in depth search. Despite my observations and travels from room to hallway, the silverfish remains in place, possibly sleeping.

Here is a picture of the silverfish. I took it with my cell phone's camera and darkened it a bit in PaintShop pro. The silverfish's size in the picture is about the size it is in reality.

I am going to bed now. One last check-up showed that it was still in place, and in fact is probably getting a good night's sleep; all the while preventing me from even dreaming of doing the same.

Sugarmouse · 07-26-2005, 10:36 PM

thheyre harmless though arent they plenty of room for them did yu leave himalone in the end?

where is he now?stil there?

El Pollo · 07-26-2005, 10:38 PM

That thing is huge and creepy! It also looks like no silverfish I've ever seen. We have tiny silverfish that are, well, silver. As for capturing it alive, well that would be tricky considering its location. You might want to try an inverted plastic bag over your hand, grab it, and then quickly reverting the bag so it ends up inside the bag. Of course I would never do that because the thought of grabbing a bug, even through plastic, just creeps the hell out of me.

cyrnel · 07-26-2005, 10:47 PM

I'm not sure what that is but it's a bit creepy. Before seeing your picture I was going to be harsh about being scared of the little things.

Silverfish:
<img src="http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/silverfish.jpg">

El Pollo · 07-26-2005, 10:57 PM

Yeah, what cyrnel posted, that's a silverfish. I don't know what your creepy monster insect is.

yellowchef · 07-27-2005, 01:44 AM

ACK SO NASTY

and Im afraid of both.. bugs and insects are ICKY

Zephyr66 · 07-27-2005, 02:12 AM

I have enough silverfish in my house, and they sure as hell don't look like that, cyrnel's got it down, as for what that is, I dont have a clue

Fourtyrulz · 07-27-2005, 03:27 AM

I'm having flashbacks. I had to chase one of the fucking things around a dorm room once with a shoe. The combined sound of me screaming like a girl at the top of my lungs and swatting at the million-legged behemoth probably sounded like someone was getting murdered.

Catdaddy33 · 07-27-2005, 03:29 AM

That's just the 1 you can see, there are 500 you can't

Slavakion · 07-27-2005, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catdaddy33

That's just the 1 you can see, there are 500 you can't

What's that quote from the Orkin commercial? Every cockroach you see represents 30 that you don't? Something like that... but at least "the Orkin man knows".

yellowchef · 07-27-2005, 04:37 AM

and cockroaches dont have ears...

that thing still scares me. I hate bugs. EW

raeanna74 · 07-27-2005, 04:50 AM

Personally, any critter that I didn't bring into my house is an INVADER and gets treated accordingly. Granted if I can remove it withou squashing it I will. I've seen the critters that you showed and if I recall correctly the move swiftly. They don't bite (at least I don't think so) as I had one on my leg once.

Make sure you get rid of stinky damp clothes and any food related items that are left out in your room and you should see fewer of them. Some for spying silverfish. Get rid of dirt and garbage and they won't be as attracted to come pay you a visit.

I couldn't have left him. Kindof glad you could get to sleep - I wouldn't have slept, or if I had I would have dreamt they were swarming on my body. I've had those dreams before.

yellowchef · 07-27-2005, 04:58 AM

ew, you just made me think of bugs crawling on me.

Its happened before... I havent been able to sleep a few times because I saw a roach or spider... I freaked out in the drive thru last night because there was a little white spider on my water bottle........ SO EW!

denim · 07-27-2005, 05:38 AM

I've seen those before too. If you try to capture them, say in a jar, but don't quite get the whole critter in, any legs trapped by whatever you're using will come off the insect. I don't know what they are either, but they don't seem to harm anything.

Could they be some other kind of silverfish?

I just sent the URL for your image to an entomologist. Let's see what they have to say about it.

veruca · 07-27-2005, 06:03 AM

We get them a lot here...they like my bookshelves and under the bathroom sink.

I think they are disgusting

Jimellow · 07-27-2005, 06:50 AM

After waking up and thoroughly (but not too thoroughly) checking my room and hall, I've discovered that, as predicted, Legs is no longer in the spot he was last night.

This is a little disturbing because he is out there somewhere, providing somewhere is still in my house. Then again, it is harmless and it is creepy more than anything. Realistically it is likely more scared of me than I should be of it.

Regarding the name.. I've always called the creatures "thousand leggers" but I heard someone I know call them silverfish, though after seeing a picture of a silverfish, it would appear they are two different insects.

Minus the legs, the creature's body looks very similiar to that of a catepillar. As the picture shows, the legs are of varying sizes, and I believe the ones if the front are small, with the back legs being longer, with two long antennas at the head. Realistically, they are interesting creatures, but seeing one in my house, especially one that large usually throws me. When in movement, their legs seem countless and I am pretty sure that is what gives the "creep effect" for me, and also is how it acquires the name it's been given around here.

I didn't kill it, or try to capture it. I actually slept pretty well, even though it did take a little longer than usual to fall asleep. I think the situation with me is that I overthink too much. I picture the creature moving to the wall over my sleeping body, and then dropping down on to me, where it is free to do whatever it pleases (which is nothing) while I am alseep, and oblivious to it. Realistically, they would probably prefer leaving me alone, and me them, and ultimately that is what happened.

Also, it's funny that you mention the Orkin saying about one cockroach for every thirty. I also heard that back in "the day" and it stuck. I have since applied that to all insects/creatures I encounter in my home, and that just multiplies the creepyness affect. Realistically, I like animals a lot. It's just interesting how such little things as insects and spiders can cause us big humans so much concern at times. I'm curious about what it is exactly that instills this sense of fear/creepyness, and if the reasons are consistent across broad groups of people, or are instead individualized and different for each.

optik_nerve · 07-27-2005, 06:59 AM

We don't get those little dudes here, we have monstrous house spiders that come in after the rains (almost everynight).

I usually inform my Mini-Dachshund of the 8-legged bastards and he takes care of the problem. Which is ideal because he's such a badass and I hate dealing with them.

*Nikki* · 07-27-2005, 07:20 AM

I don't kill things either, but it would have been really hard to fall asleep knowing that was sitting there.

snowy · 07-27-2005, 07:21 AM

Ewwwwwww...

That's really all I can say. Your post made me shudder uncontrollably. Ewwww.

Charlatan · 07-27-2005, 07:33 AM

We get those crawlies in our basement from time to time... good for creeping out the kids.

Ambient1 · 07-27-2005, 07:48 AM

That is not a silverfish (Cyrnel's is a silverfish) but a house centipede.

Quote:

Centipedes are common arthropods with long, flattened, segmented bodies with one pair of legs per segment. The house centipede is up to 1 1/2 inches long and has 15 pairs of very long, slender legs. Each leg is encircled by dark and white bands. The body is brown to grayish-yellow and has three dark stripes on top.

Though house centipedes are found both indoors and outdoors it is the occasional one on the bathroom or bedroom wall, or the one accidentally trapped in the bathtub, sink, or lavatory that causes the most concern. However, these locations are not where they normally originate. Centipedes prefer to live in damp portions of basements, closets, bathrooms, unexcavated areas under the house and beneath the bark of firewood stored indoors. They do not come up through the drain pipes.

House centipedes feed on small insects, insect larvae, and on spiders. Thus they are beneficial, though most homeowners take a different point-of-view and consider them a nuisance. Technically, the house centipede could bite, but it is considered harmless to people.

House centipede control consists of drying up and cleaning, as much as possible, the areas that serve as habitat and food source for centipedes. Residual insecticides can be applied to usual hiding places such as crawl spaces, dark corners in basements, baseboard cracks and crevices, openings in concrete slabs, and so forth. Centipedes discovered outdoors should not be controlled.

kutulu · 07-27-2005, 08:39 AM

That thing would be so fucking dead in my house. Still, I wish that was the extent of my pest problems. In the 5 months we've lived in our current condo, I've killed 2 of the 3 bark scorpions (most poisonous scorpion around) I've seen (third one escaped), a few black widows, and about 10 wolf spiders (harmless I think but creepy as hell so I kill them). Outside there are tarantulas (I leave them alone) and supposedly rattlesnakes.

Sugarmouse · 07-27-2005, 08:51 AM

i dont kill anything..what rite have i to end soomethings life..they do not know they are invading do they....

lokijeep · 07-27-2005, 09:07 AM

Yep, that's a centipede. I send the closest available dog in after it when I see one. We have two Weimaraners and one's never far away.

My SO adheres to the 'capture and release' program, but I'm more the 'send in the Doggie Death Squad' girl

El Pollo · 07-27-2005, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kutulu

That thing would be so fucking dead in my house. Still, I wish that was the extent of my pest problems. In the 5 months we've lived in our current condo, I've killed 2 of the 3 bark scorpions (most poisonous scorpion around) I've seen (third one escaped), a few black widows, and about 10 wolf spiders (harmless I think but creepy as hell so I kill them). Outside there are tarantulas (I leave them alone) and supposedly rattlesnakes.

This thread had really limited the number of places I can ever consider moving to.

World's King · 07-27-2005, 10:55 AM

KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!
KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!

sadistikdreams · 07-27-2005, 01:20 PM

Man, that's just sadistic.

But man, that bug is one ugly motherfucker.

Pip · 07-27-2005, 01:44 PM

That is one pretty bug! The legs looks like long eyelashes. On a side note: place a glass over the bug, then slip a stiff piece of paper between the wall and the glass. Paper bag? Sheesh.

Robaggio · 07-27-2005, 02:59 PM

Just grab it with your hands and throw it outside! They're harmless! (Entomologist's son speaking here

I have a big bug net in the corner of my apartment you could use, but you're kinda far away.

Grasshopper Green · 07-27-2005, 04:12 PM

That, my friend, looks like a house centipede (as others have noted). We used to get them in a basement apartment, and according to the source I read trying to figure out what the hell it was, they can bite (one of the following links says a bite is harmless, one says it is similar to a beesting). Several of these creatures met with my friend, the can of Raid. I couldn't bring myself to get close enough to kill them. One hid under some clothes hubby left on the floor in the bathroom after his shower, and when I picked them up, it crawled on me. I was scarred for life (and hubby got an ass-chewing on picking up his clothes).

Some info on them:
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortn...1991/cent.html

And a pic:
http://www.uark.edu/depts/entomolo/m...centipede.html

For some reason I can't post the pic here, so here is a link

Fremen · 07-27-2005, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by World's King

KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!
KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!

What the King said.

Hairspray and lighter = insta-flamethrower

rainheart · 07-27-2005, 05:28 PM

Hehe, I saw one of those crawling underneath my couch one day and wanted to kill it, but it was already gone and I was too lazy to search. I've never seen it since. The only insects I allow to stay in my basement are the spiders in unseen locations because they eat up the other insects.

Anyhow there's no reason to be afraid of those things.. even if it bites it's not going to kill you, and will only cause you minor distress. I say you should've just whacked it with the big end of a tissue paper box or something, when a slipper doesn't quite do the trick that is what I use.

I live in a basement by the way, house insects are usually harmless afaik...

Gilda · 07-27-2005, 05:44 PM

Here is how I would have handled that situation:

Step one: Screech like an eight year old girl watching a horror movie late at night after eating spicy Mexican food and drinking an entire two liter bottle of Sunkist orange soda.

Step two: Go find Grace and tell her she ain't gettin any while that hideous man-eating monster is in our home waiting for us to go to sleep and devour us whole.

Step three: Watch in horror as Grace allows the beast to crawl up her arm as she carries it outside, obviously terrified, but hiding it well by mocking my fear derisively and telling me to quit acting like a baby.

Step four: Reward Grace for her heroism, saving us from a fate worse than death without once flinching in the face of grave danger.

Jimellow · 07-27-2005, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Medusa99

That, my friend, looks like a house centipede (as others have noted). We used to get them in a basement apartment, and according to the source I read trying to figure out what the hell it was, they can bite (one of the following links says a bite is harmless, one says it is similar to a beesting). Several of these creatures met with my friend, the can of Raid. I couldn't bring myself to get close enough to kill them. One hid under some clothes hubby left on the floor in the bathroom after his shower, and when I picked them up, it crawled on me. I was scarred for life (and hubby got an ass-chewing on picking up his clothes).

Some info on them:
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortn...1991/cent.html

And a pic:
http://www.uark.edu/depts/entomolo/m...centipede.html

For some reason I can't post the pic here, so here is a link

Thanks for the links.

Regarding the information, this portion stuck out the most:

Quote:

In laboratory rearings, 24 females produced an average of 63 eggs each and a maximum of 151 eggs.

If the one residing in my house is knocked up, I may need to hit Ikea for some additional furnishings.

goddfather40 · 07-27-2005, 06:36 PM

Never seen or heard of something like that here in Cali. The biggest critters we get are ordinary cockroaches. That would freak the hell out of me.

fightnight · 07-28-2005, 07:50 AM

Don't know if this thread's still alive, but for those who wish to kill the bastards withough leaving a big mess (which is how I deal with them because they gross me out) is to grab some windex and give him a shot. It's crazy, their legs detach and they immediately fall to the ground. Leaves no mess, except the dead carcass, easily cleaned with a tissue. The spray with windex/clorox cleaner method actually works with most insects.

optik_nerve · 07-28-2005, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by World's King

KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!
KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!

HAHA, that reminds me of a time, I was hanging out with one of my buddies and there was a house spider on the basement wall. Well, we took a can of WD-40 and a lighter and shot it with the flame...there was a slight black spot where we started, a little black trail from where we chased it and a giant black spot where we caught it.

Glad it wasn't my house.

He ended up retouching it with paint, needless to say.

Charlatan · 07-28-2005, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gilda

Here is how I would have handled that situation:

Step one: Screech like an eight year old girl watching a horror movie late at night after eating spicy Mexican food and drinking an entire two liter bottle of Sunkist orange soda.

Step two: Go find Grace and tell her she ain't gettin any while that hideous man-eating monster is in our home waiting for us to go to sleep and devour us whole.

Step three: Watch in horror as Grace allows the beast to crawl up her arm as she carries it outside, obviously terrified, but hiding it well by mocking my fear derisively and telling me to quit acting like a baby.

Step four: Reward Grace for her heroism, saving us from a fate worse than death without once flinching in the face of grave danger.

I wish this was how it played out in my house...

In my house, I am typically woken at 3 am (or some such un-Godly hour) by my wife, who twitching like the little girl in your step one, informs me that our cat has once again caught a mouse and is chasing it around the dinning room...

Blear-eyed I proceed to the dinning room wrestle said mouse from my growling cat (he doesn't like to give up his prey).

I collect the mouse in a plastic cup I keep for just such occasions and take it across the street where I dump the mouse into my neighbour's garden.

I don't think I've really seen this side of Step Four... though it would be nice from time to time.

fresnelly · 07-28-2005, 10:19 AM

You see? This is why I love the TFP. I've wondered for years about these wee beasties but have never been able to confirm what they were.

I trap them with a glass tumbler, slide a stiff piece of paper or boxboard underneath, then take them outside and toss them away. I'm glad to hear that they eat other bugs. My only real complaint about them, is that they tend to pop up out of sinks and tub drains when you least expect them. It's never a good way to start your morning routine.

They creep me out in the same way that false eyelashes do. ugh!

bobillydylan · 07-28-2005, 11:06 AM

If you dont ballache the insects the insects wont ballache you, just leave them alone their not doing you any harm

07-26-2005, 10:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
Jimellow Junkie	Silverfish on my wall... I was preparing to go to bed about an hour ago, and on the walk back from the bathroom to my bedroom, I noticed a silver fish / thousand legger on the wall, near the doorframe. I am not a fan of these insects, but I won't kill them. It's location makes extraction risky, as if I try to prod it and catch it with a paper bag, and miss, the thing is likely to run anywhere, including up my leg. The folks are asleep and waking them is not an option I am willing to consider. I am content to leave it alone and go to sleep, but then when I wake up, it will be gone, and I will just wonder where it is for days, even weeks. I was very close to trying the folded paper and brown bag capture method, but opted not to, as if it misses the bag, the chances of it entering my room are greatly increased. As of right now, the chances of it entering my room are likely slim, due to it being "wedged" on the other side of the doorframe. In order to successfully infiltrate, I think it would have to go to the floor, and then enter my room the same way I do, as the door frame is seperate from the wall, and the insect too large to navigate over it (I hope?). I've considered bringing its location to the attention of my cat, but ultimately that is just going to result in its death, and I don't want to be responsible for killing it, because I like animals, insects not as much, but still, random killing is stupid to me. As I write this I poke my head around the doorframe to see if it still there.. The last three times it has been, but I am not sure which result I would prefer. If its there, at least I know where it is. If it isn't, it could be anywhere, and that is disturbing considering that I am starting to get tired. This is likely one of the largest silverfish I've seen in my house. They are intriguing creatures, and they have lots of legs, which is what I think causes me to be leery of capturing them with my hand. As a kid, my dad would let them run up and down his arm while taking them outside, but just thinking about all those legs running up my arm and into my clothes makes me strongly re-consider finding my cat. After opening up Microsoft Word and taking advantage of the embedded ruler, I've established that the silverfish is approxiamtely one inch long, legs included. It did twitch once while I was observing it, and it clearly has the speed required to evade my attempts at capture, which makes a miss too risky to consider. It appears to have about 16 legs on each side of its body. Its body seems to be multi-colored earth tones, and if it weren't in a shadow, and my house, I might be more obligued to look closer. I think it might be sleeping, as it did not react to various flashes from my cell phone's camera. Below I have included a picture of the silver fish. They are common in this part of the country (East Coast, PA), and I don't think they are dangerous. They are a bit creepy, primarily because they really do seem to have a thousand legs. The whole situation has put me on edge. We have fans going on upstairs, and I placed the potential capturing brown bag on top of the dresser, and it just caught a draft and was whisked away loudly, causing my to literally jump out of my seat. Upon further inspection, the bag is nowhere to be found, and I am not too inclined to start an in depth search. Despite my observations and travels from room to hallway, the silverfish remains in place, possibly sleeping. Here is a picture of the silverfish. I took it with my cell phone's camera and darkened it a bit in PaintShop pro. The silverfish's size in the picture is about the size it is in reality. I am going to bed now. One last check-up showed that it was still in place, and in fact is probably getting a good night's sleep; all the while preventing me from even dreaming of doing the same. __________________ Desperation is no excuse for lowering one's standards.

07-26-2005, 10:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
Sugarmouse Insane Location: Preston lancs(i know i know)	thheyre harmless though arent they plenty of room for them did yu leave himalone in the end? where is he now?stil there? __________________ Sugarmouse=Festered

07-26-2005, 10:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
cyrnel Adequate Location: In my angry-dome.	I'm not sure what that is but it's a bit creepy. Before seeing your picture I was going to be harsh about being scared of the little things. Silverfish: <img src="http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/silverfish.jpg"> __________________ There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

07-27-2005, 01:44 AM	#6 (permalink)
yellowchef Addict Location: Shalimar, FL	ACK SO NASTY and Im afraid of both.. bugs and insects are ICKY __________________ the voices in your head are not real--but they still have some really great ideas. always remeber you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family. But..you CAN choose the insane asylum where you have them all put away!

07-27-2005, 03:27 AM	#8 (permalink)
Fourtyrulz Psycho Location: io-where?	I'm having flashbacks. I had to chase one of the fucking things around a dorm room once with a shoe. The combined sound of me screaming like a girl at the top of my lungs and swatting at the million-legged behemoth probably sounded like someone was getting murdered. __________________ the·o·ry - a working hypothesis that is considered probable based on experimental evidence or factual or conceptual analysis and is accepted as a basis for experimentation. faith - Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. - Merriam-Webster's dictionary Last edited by Fourtyrulz; 07-27-2005 at 03:29 AM..

07-26-2005, 10:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
El Pollo Insane Location: Austin, TX	That thing is huge and creepy! It also looks like no silverfish I've ever seen. We have tiny silverfish that are, well, silver. As for capturing it alive, well that would be tricky considering its location. You might want to try an inverted plastic bag over your hand, grab it, and then quickly reverting the bag so it ends up inside the bag. Of course I would never do that because the thought of grabbing a bug, even through plastic, just creeps the hell out of me.

07-26-2005, 10:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
El Pollo Insane Location: Austin, TX	Yeah, what cyrnel posted, that's a silverfish. I don't know what your creepy monster insect is.

07-27-2005, 02:12 AM	#7 (permalink)
Zephyr66 My custom title's the shit! Location: Canada	I have enough silverfish in my house, and they sure as hell don't look like that, cyrnel's got it down, as for what that is, I dont have a clue

07-27-2005, 03:29 AM	#9 (permalink)
Catdaddy33 Psycho Location: TN	That's just the 1 you can see, there are 500 you can't

07-27-2005, 04:37 AM	#11 (permalink)
yellowchef Addict Location: Shalimar, FL	and cockroaches dont have ears... that thing still scares me. I hate bugs. EW __________________ the voices in your head are not real--but they still have some really great ideas. always remeber you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family. But..you CAN choose the insane asylum where you have them all put away!

07-27-2005, 04:50 AM	#12 (permalink)
raeanna74 I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot! Location: Upper Michigan	Personally, any critter that I didn't bring into my house is an INVADER and gets treated accordingly. Granted if I can remove it withou squashing it I will. I've seen the critters that you showed and if I recall correctly the move swiftly. They don't bite (at least I don't think so) as I had one on my leg once. Make sure you get rid of stinky damp clothes and any food related items that are left out in your room and you should see fewer of them. Some for spying silverfish. Get rid of dirt and garbage and they won't be as attracted to come pay you a visit. I couldn't have left him. Kindof glad you could get to sleep - I wouldn't have slept, or if I had I would have dreamt they were swarming on my body. I've had those dreams before. __________________ "Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

07-27-2005, 04:58 AM	#13 (permalink)
yellowchef Addict Location: Shalimar, FL	ew, you just made me think of bugs crawling on me. Its happened before... I havent been able to sleep a few times because I saw a roach or spider... I freaked out in the drive thru last night because there was a little white spider on my water bottle........ SO EW! __________________ the voices in your head are not real--but they still have some really great ideas. always remeber you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family. But..you CAN choose the insane asylum where you have them all put away!

07-27-2005, 05:38 AM	#14 (permalink)
denim Banned Location: Massachusetts, USA	I've seen those before too. If you try to capture them, say in a jar, but don't quite get the whole critter in, any legs trapped by whatever you're using will come off the insect. I don't know what they are either, but they don't seem to harm anything. Could they be some other kind of silverfish? I just sent the URL for your image to an entomologist. Let's see what they have to say about it. Last edited by denim; 07-27-2005 at 05:45 AM..

07-27-2005, 06:03 AM	#15 (permalink)
veruca Psycho Location: 4 privet drive	We get them a lot here...they like my bookshelves and under the bathroom sink. I think they are disgusting __________________ How you turned my world, you precious thing You starve and near exhaust me Everything I've done, I've done for you I move the stars for no one

07-27-2005, 06:50 AM	#16 (permalink)
Jimellow Junkie	After waking up and thoroughly (but not too thoroughly) checking my room and hall, I've discovered that, as predicted, Legs is no longer in the spot he was last night. This is a little disturbing because he is out there somewhere, providing somewhere is still in my house. Then again, it is harmless and it is creepy more than anything. Realistically it is likely more scared of me than I should be of it. Regarding the name.. I've always called the creatures "thousand leggers" but I heard someone I know call them silverfish, though after seeing a picture of a silverfish, it would appear they are two different insects. Minus the legs, the creature's body looks very similiar to that of a catepillar. As the picture shows, the legs are of varying sizes, and I believe the ones if the front are small, with the back legs being longer, with two long antennas at the head. Realistically, they are interesting creatures, but seeing one in my house, especially one that large usually throws me. When in movement, their legs seem countless and I am pretty sure that is what gives the "creep effect" for me, and also is how it acquires the name it's been given around here. I didn't kill it, or try to capture it. I actually slept pretty well, even though it did take a little longer than usual to fall asleep. I think the situation with me is that I overthink too much. I picture the creature moving to the wall over my sleeping body, and then dropping down on to me, where it is free to do whatever it pleases (which is nothing) while I am alseep, and oblivious to it. Realistically, they would probably prefer leaving me alone, and me them, and ultimately that is what happened. Also, it's funny that you mention the Orkin saying about one cockroach for every thirty. I also heard that back in "the day" and it stuck. I have since applied that to all insects/creatures I encounter in my home, and that just multiplies the creepyness affect. Realistically, I like animals a lot. It's just interesting how such little things as insects and spiders can cause us big humans so much concern at times. I'm curious about what it is exactly that instills this sense of fear/creepyness, and if the reasons are consistent across broad groups of people, or are instead individualized and different for each. __________________ Desperation is no excuse for lowering one's standards.

07-27-2005, 06:59 AM	#17 (permalink)
optik_nerve Psycho Location: Florida	We don't get those little dudes here, we have monstrous house spiders that come in after the rains (almost everynight). I usually inform my Mini-Dachshund of the 8-legged bastards and he takes care of the problem. Which is ideal because he's such a badass and I hate dealing with them. Last edited by optik_nerve; 07-27-2005 at 08:25 AM..

07-27-2005, 07:20 AM	#18 (permalink)
Nikki ~~~~~~~ Location: Charleston, SC	I don't kill things either, but it would have been really hard to fall asleep knowing that was sitting there.

07-27-2005, 07:21 AM	#19 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	Ewwwwwww... That's really all I can say. Your post made me shudder uncontrollably. Ewwww. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

07-27-2005, 07:33 AM	#20 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	We get those crawlies in our basement from time to time... good for creeping out the kids. __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

07-27-2005, 08:39 AM	#22 (permalink)
kutulu Junkie	That thing would be so fucking dead in my house. Still, I wish that was the extent of my pest problems. In the 5 months we've lived in our current condo, I've killed 2 of the 3 bark scorpions (most poisonous scorpion around) I've seen (third one escaped), a few black widows, and about 10 wolf spiders (harmless I think but creepy as hell so I kill them). Outside there are tarantulas (I leave them alone) and supposedly rattlesnakes.

07-27-2005, 08:51 AM	#23 (permalink)
Sugarmouse Insane Location: Preston lancs(i know i know)	i dont kill anything..what rite have i to end soomethings life..they do not know they are invading do they.... __________________ Sugarmouse=Festered

07-27-2005, 09:07 AM	#24 (permalink)
lokijeep Upright Location: Ontario, Canada	Yep, that's a centipede. I send the closest available dog in after it when I see one. We have two Weimaraners and one's never far away. My SO adheres to the 'capture and release' program, but I'm more the 'send in the Doggie Death Squad' girl __________________ "It's better for me if you don't understand."

07-27-2005, 10:55 AM	#26 (permalink)
World's King Here Location: Denver City Denver	KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!! KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!! __________________ heavy is the head that wears the crown

07-27-2005, 01:20 PM	#27 (permalink)
sadistikdreams lonely rolling star Location: Seattle.	Man, that's just sadistic. But man, that bug is one ugly motherfucker. __________________ "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." -Lin Yutang hearts, by d.a.

07-27-2005, 01:44 PM	#28 (permalink)
Pip Likes Hats Location: Stockholm, Sweden	That is one pretty bug! The legs looks like long eyelashes. On a side note: place a glass over the bug, then slip a stiff piece of paper between the wall and the glass. Paper bag? Sheesh.

07-27-2005, 02:59 PM	#29 (permalink)
Robaggio Crazy	Just grab it with your hands and throw it outside! They're harmless! (Entomologist's son speaking here I have a big bug net in the corner of my apartment you could use, but you're kinda far away.

07-27-2005, 04:12 PM	#30 (permalink)
Grasshopper Green ...is a comical chap Location: Where morons reign supreme	That, my friend, looks like a house centipede (as others have noted). We used to get them in a basement apartment, and according to the source I read trying to figure out what the hell it was, they can bite (one of the following links says a bite is harmless, one says it is similar to a beesting). Several of these creatures met with my friend, the can of Raid. I couldn't bring myself to get close enough to kill them. One hid under some clothes hubby left on the floor in the bathroom after his shower, and when I picked them up, it crawled on me. I was scarred for life (and hubby got an ass-chewing on picking up his clothes). Some info on them: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortn...1991/cent.html And a pic: http://www.uark.edu/depts/entomolo/m...centipede.html For some reason I can't post the pic here, so here is a link __________________ "They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings; steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king" Formerly Medusa Last edited by Grasshopper Green; 07-27-2005 at 04:22 PM..

07-27-2005, 05:28 PM	#32 (permalink)
rainheart Psycho	Hehe, I saw one of those crawling underneath my couch one day and wanted to kill it, but it was already gone and I was too lazy to search. I've never seen it since. The only insects I allow to stay in my basement are the spiders in unseen locations because they eat up the other insects. Anyhow there's no reason to be afraid of those things.. even if it bites it's not going to kill you, and will only cause you minor distress. I say you should've just whacked it with the big end of a tissue paper box or something, when a slipper doesn't quite do the trick that is what I use. I live in a basement by the way, house insects are usually harmless afaik...

07-27-2005, 05:44 PM	#33 (permalink)
Gilda 32 flavors and then some Location: Out on a wire.	Here is how I would have handled that situation: Step one: Screech like an eight year old girl watching a horror movie late at night after eating spicy Mexican food and drinking an entire two liter bottle of Sunkist orange soda. Step two: Go find Grace and tell her she ain't gettin any while that hideous man-eating monster is in our home waiting for us to go to sleep and devour us whole. Step three: Watch in horror as Grace allows the beast to crawl up her arm as she carries it outside, obviously terrified, but hiding it well by mocking my fear derisively and telling me to quit acting like a baby. Step four: Reward Grace for her heroism, saving us from a fate worse than death without once flinching in the face of grave danger. __________________ I'm against ending blackness. I believe that everyone has a right to be black, it's a choice, and I support that. ~Steven Colbert

07-27-2005, 06:36 PM	#35 (permalink)
goddfather40 Llama Location: Cali-for-nye-a	Never seen or heard of something like that here in Cali. The biggest critters we get are ordinary cockroaches. That would freak the hell out of me. __________________ My name is goddfather40 and I approved this message. I got ho's and I got bitches, In C++ I branch with switches -MC Plus+

07-28-2005, 07:50 AM	#36 (permalink)
fightnight Insane Location: The lovely Northeast	Don't know if this thread's still alive, but for those who wish to kill the bastards withough leaving a big mess (which is how I deal with them because they gross me out) is to grab some windex and give him a shot. It's crazy, their legs detach and they immediately fall to the ground. Leaves no mess, except the dead carcass, easily cleaned with a tissue. The spray with windex/clorox cleaner method actually works with most insects.

07-28-2005, 10:19 AM	#39 (permalink)
fresnelly Functionally Appropriate Location: Toronto	You see? This is why I love the TFP. I've wondered for years about these wee beasties but have never been able to confirm what they were. I trap them with a glass tumbler, slide a stiff piece of paper or boxboard underneath, then take them outside and toss them away. I'm glad to hear that they eat other bugs. My only real complaint about them, is that they tend to pop up out of sinks and tub drains when you least expect them. It's never a good way to start your morning routine. They creep me out in the same way that false eyelashes do. ugh! __________________ Building an artificial intelligence that appreciates Mozart is easy. Building an A.I. that appreciates a theme restaurant is the real challenge - Kit Roebuck - Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life

07-28-2005, 11:06 AM	#40 (permalink)
bobillydylan Tilted Location: uk	If you dont ballache the insects the insects wont ballache you, just leave them alone their not doing you any harm __________________ Yes and only if my own true love was waiting, And i could hear her heart a softly pounding, Yes and only if she was lying by me! Then i would lie in my bed once again.