Giant redheaded centipede found crawling in Texas park

ABC7 ^ | 7-2-15 | Casey Curry

[aMorePerfectUnion]

TEXAS -- A giant redheaded centipede was found crawling on a broom in a park in Texas.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department posted a photo of the insect on Twitter. The centipede was discovered at Garner State Park in Uvalde County in the Hill Country.

This is one scary looking insect. In the wild, it can grow to be 8 inches long with a brightly colored body and legs. Officials at the University of Arkansas Arthropod Museum describe this species of centipede as "fast moving and aggressive titans."

The giant redheaded centipede is a predator that primarily feeds on things like moths, butterflies, spiders and other insects. They have also been known to eat larger animals such as toads, lizards, small snakes and other vertebrates.

The centipede captures its prey with its claws and then stuns and poisons them by piercing the skin and injecting a painful toxin.

The good news? This centipede isn't a huge threat to humans. They will give you a painful sting which can lead to dizziness, nausea and headaches.

This species of centipede is found in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona.

[llabradoodlle]

I found two when I moved logs yesterday :0 I kept thinking more were on me. 😧

[SgtHooper]

Enjoy your Chinese food! :-)

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

What is Kathy Griffin doing in a Texas park?

[capt. norm]

That would make a nice grouper bait.

[LearsFool]

A bit pricier than I expected, but thank you for the link. I need to do some more research on the subject.

[kaehurowing]

I notice the other “PETS” story has to do with a Great White Shark.

I appreciate a sly sense of humor.

[Darksheare]

It missed the audition for the music video.

[YouGoTexasGirl]

Grrrreeeaaat!....Now we’ll see them at the Texas State Fair fried and dipped in chocolate!

[a fool in paradise]

[ex91B10]

https://s.yimg.com/lo/api/res/1.2/9be9lHkYa5GO2NjLO0.RSQ—/YXBwaWQ9eWlzZWFyY2g7Zmk9Zml0O2dlPTAwNjYwMDtncz0wMEEzMDA7aD00MDA7dz01NzY-/http://www.womensenews.org/sites/default/files/Helen-Thomas.jpg.cf.jpg

[Fiddlstix]

Yes. Just go to Amazon and do a search for UV lights. There are a lot of newer models using LED's that work very well...
Even much better than the old models.

[StAntKnee]

Dang I wish I’d thought of that one.

[azishot]

I’ve killed centipedes here before but never one like this.

For some reason I just searched for “centipedes” and came across this article. Gave me chills.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/07/01/teen-pulls-4-inch-long-centipede-out-his-ear/

[montag813]

"Number One....Centipede!"

[montag813]

"Number One....Centipede!"

[Nowhere Man]

Yuck!!!! Hand me an M-16 to take out that thing!

[norwaypinesavage]

This is news? We found one in our house a couple of months ago. A friend kept one for a pet.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“This is news?”

I see your point. I should have given it more urgency by posting it under Breaking News.

Thank you.

PS - it is not posted under news...