Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Giant Millipedes Intercepted at San Francisco International Airport
NBC Bay Area ^ | Friday, Aug 29, 2014 | Lisa Fernandez

Posted on 09/01/2014 11:43:42 AM PDT by nickcarraway

Customs agents are used to confiscating fake Viagra pills, counterfeit sports jerseys and illegal DVDS. They're not accustomed to snagging giant myriapodous arthropods, however, that wriggle in the dirt and eat decaying plants.

But the U.S. Customs and Border agriculture specialists found and intercepted 20 foot-long millipedes at the San Francisco International Airport mail facility, the agency announced on Friday, and in doing so, stopped the slimy creatures from any further travel.

The intended recipient in Vista, California, was sent a letter that his or her package of exotic wormlike insects would not be arriving from Berlin, Customs Chief J. Frederick Ho told NBC Bay Area. Ho didn't know why the box would be sent to San Francisco and not LAX.

“I'll be honest, we do get certain strange things here," Ho said. "But I can't recall ever getting something like this here. It is out of the ordinary.”

Shipping millipedes – which some like to keep as exotic pets – isn't illegal, Ho said, but they do need a special permit to be sent through the mail – and this package didn't have that. In fact, the package was mislabled "toy car model."

An agent discovered the millipedes while inspecting the facility's X-ray machine and noted the discrepency. Inside the X-rayed package was a large Styrofoam box, containing a mesh bag that held the millipedes, along with chunks of soil and paper.

Ho said, since the shipper lives in Germany, it is unlikely that person will face a fine or a penalty.

The millipedes were whisked off to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and were euthanized.


TOPICS: Local News; Pets/Animals; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: bugs; creepy; horrorflick; millipedes
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061 next last
To: nickcarraway

LOL “euthanized”.

Step on them all or use a machete. LOL


21 posted on 09/01/2014 12:06:30 PM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: eCSMaster
BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!

Down 3 and fire for effect.

Boomboomboomboom

There is no such thing as overkill on some critters.

/johnny

22 posted on 09/01/2014 12:18:20 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: JRandomFreeper

23 posted on 09/01/2014 12:25:50 PM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

ping


24 posted on 09/01/2014 12:28:31 PM PDT by EveningStar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kartographer
I'm good with that....

/johnny

25 posted on 09/01/2014 12:30:26 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

Glue a bunch of those on the bottom of your Nikes and go creeping around.


26 posted on 09/01/2014 12:32:40 PM PDT by USMCPOP (Father of LCpl. Karl Linn, KIA 1/26/2005 Al Haqlaniyah, Iraq)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway
I love mine. His name is Gary

27 posted on 09/01/2014 12:33:10 PM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a stBut is it grammatically catement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

28 posted on 09/01/2014 12:33:30 PM PDT by eclecticEel ("The petty man forsakes what lies within his power and longs for what lies with Heaven." - Xunzi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hulka

29 posted on 09/01/2014 12:34:11 PM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a stBut is it grammatically catement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

Arthropods aren’t slimy and make great pets.


30 posted on 09/01/2014 12:35:56 PM PDT by freedomfiter2 (Brutal acts of commission and yawning acts of omission both strengthen the hand of the devil.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

"I have had it with these ............ millipedes on this ............ plane! "

31 posted on 09/01/2014 12:36:15 PM PDT by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway
What a disappointing title. Upon reading it, I had visions of a Godzilla or Cloverfield monster fighting jets, helos, and artillery.
32 posted on 09/01/2014 12:39:45 PM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult (Liberals make unrealistic demands on reality and reality doesn't oblige them.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hulka

“Big error since the largest grow to a little over a foot in length. . .but I think it more likely the writer meant to say they found twenty (20) millipedes that are each a foot long.”

No error by writer.


33 posted on 09/01/2014 1:05:16 PM PDT by TexasGator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway
My gawd they are ugly, totally harmless and from Africa.

Amazing that they are harmless. TWENTY FEET LONG? Lord have mercy.
They are food for something even larger...yikes.

34 posted on 09/01/2014 1:09:10 PM PDT by cloudmountain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hulka

How many 20 ft long insects can fit in a box?


35 posted on 09/01/2014 1:10:33 PM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: eCSMaster

With two decihammers.


36 posted on 09/01/2014 1:12:10 PM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Lurkina.n.Learnin

I’m surprised it is not illegal to ship them here.

They were just undocumented arthropods, why worry?


37 posted on 09/01/2014 1:12:26 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

Better millipedes than centipedes.

The latter are real bad news in spite of having fewer legs.

(Perhaps I should’ve written, ‘less legs’.)


38 posted on 09/01/2014 1:15:22 PM PDT by 353FMG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hulka
Yeah. . .don’t know if I can sleep either, knowing a 20-foot millipede is ‘out there.’

Relax. I happen to know a thing or two about millipedes, and I can assure you that they don't grow any longer than 18 feet, tops.

39 posted on 09/01/2014 1:15:49 PM PDT by GreenHornet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

I’m thinking Dune, Frank Herbert.


40 posted on 09/01/2014 1:17:03 PM PDT by kdot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson