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Big Centipedes in Hawaii. Protect Yourself Hawaiian Style.
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Centipedes Fight to the Finish
Big centipedes in Hawaii are a fact of life. That said, not many of us are born with the ability to casually pick them up. Some of us have nightmares about centipedes. Some of us have overcome our fears pretty well, but still don't want to get within ten feet of one.
My daughter, Priscilla, can kill a centipede with a butcher knife or scissors all by herself. She is an adult with children who are looking to her for protection -- if Daddy is at work -- when a centipede crawls into the livingroom. But if her husband, Daniel, is home she grabs the biggest knife she can find and hands it to him when one of these fast-slithering creatures from hell enters the family domain. Daniel then has the honor of hacking the thing in half. Then he cuts it in quarters.
Just the other night Priscilla and I were talking on the telephone. Her husband was at work. All of a sudden, Priscilla screamed. I could hear her panic and fast breathing plus muted words and sounds for about two minutes. "Priscilla, Priscilla?" I said. I had heard her say the word centipede so I knew it wasn't a human intruder, but a centipede situation. Finally she came back on the line. She said there had been a centipede in the kitchen. She hadn't seen it and had accidentally stepped on it but luckily got her foot free before the thing attacked. She grabbed the kitchen tongs and picked the creature up, got it outside and hacked it up. (I am glad she took it outside to do this -- this time -- because recently I heard that the scent of a cut up centipede brings more centipedes to the area.)
Centipedes don't stop moving just because you cut them up. They fight to the end. They look like they are coming to get you! That's because they are coming to get you! Their pinchers are still pinching for several minutes after the body is lying in pieces, writhing on the floor. Daniel has pestered a sliced-up centipede after the execution and by poking a pencil at the pinchers has found that a centipede can keep up the attack mode for six minutes after being sliced into four pieces. This is information that, hopefully, you will never need. And as I mentioned, my daughter is capable of carrying out the execution on a centipede herself. She does not back away (or stand on the table and scream for help) if her husband is not home when the centipede is discovered in their condo. She says it actually gives her a feeling of confidence to know that she is now capable of doing this herself whenever necessary. I will never know that feeling of confidence, but that's okay.
More UnSettling Centipede Stuff
Why not just stomp on the centipede, you ask? That rarely kills one unless you are very heavy. They are made of steel armor. They are built to last. (I guess that's why everyone has the Maui Built stickers on their vehicles here.) These tropical centipedes are big and strong. Some of them grow to be 12 inches long and almost one inch in width.
Centipedes eat insects, other centipedes and even small animals. They detect their prey through their antennae and they paralyze their prey with their venom so they can dine more easily.
Centipedes like to hide under cement. I know how they get into one's livingroom when it seems impossible for them to do it. A friend of mine told me this: When it rains, they get themselves under the sliding patio door when it is opened for a minute or less. Then when they are good and ready, maybe that night or the next day, they climb off the bottom of the sliding door into the living quarters; yes, to wreak havoc. They love to do that. They figure if they have to leave this world, they may as well go out party-style.
I used to say if we ever find a centipede in our living area, that will be it; we have got to leave these islands. But when I see my brave little grandchildren taking these creatures in their stride and being able to fall asleep at night when they have just finished witnessing the execution of a translucent, 10-inch centipede -- I think to myself, I've got to regain my perspective. Centipedes can't hurt me. (Yes, they can.) They were here first. (So what?) I love living near my family and I'm not going to let the centipedes be a deterrent. I'm bigger than them. (Okay.) So goes the internal battle when I see one lurking around my yard.
Posting these photos for you has taken about all the courage I can muster for today. I had thought, too -- before today -- of doing an article on the huge B52 Bomber species of cockroaches here or the horribly big and thick-legged cane spiders, but no. This posting experience has been sufficient. I will leave those species to braver hubbers than I.
Hawaii doesn't always seem like paradise when you live here. Sure, if you stay in the hotels or condos that are specifically for vacationers, you are pretty safe. I've never heard of anyone encountering centipedes or other nightmare material in their living quarters while vacationing here. The vacation properties are maintained to be bug-free. But out in the real world of the Hawaiian Islands, not all of us can afford monthly sprayings of our yards and homes -- and others of us don't want to live with the consequences of breathing and touching pesticide on a daily and continuous basis.
Some days I feel like I'm a hero just to have survived another day in 'paradise'.
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You're brave. I would definitely leave the house until someone could come home and kill it. But you're smarter because obviously if the someone comes home and can't find the thing -- I'm not sleeping there. So your method works better. Thanks for stopping by. (P.S. We keep a clear plastic bowl over the bathtub drain when not using the tub. It keeps big cockroaches down where they belong, but I imagine a centipede could push it away like nuthin'.)
Yikes - we had many centipedes in Tonga. Luckily I haven't seen too many here in Laie where I live, because I go bonkers when I see them, they are so big and scarey looking. You reminded me of the day when I brought the broom in from the back porch and started to sweep when one large centipede came out of the broom and headed towards me. Loud scream, my hero husband came running and chopped it into little pieces. Bug spray is not so effective as a big machete.
Thanks for braving the photos and reading this. I have to put my hand out in front of my face to shield my eyes from the images of these guys -- while I scroll down to reply to you.
I have been so lucky. We haven't had one single centipede in our home yet -- in almost ten years of living on the islands. And I have heard from unlucky people that centipedes like to be under the warm covers of a bed. UGHHHHH
Malama pono.
Wow these are some scary dudes - I can only imagine finding one in your bed - that would bring a yelp or two - great photos too!
I'm staying in a safe place with the tourists!lol. Great photos. They gave me the creeps.
Pinkboxer, thanks. By the way, I had garlic today and was quoting you to my husband.
I had a friend who was in the 25th infantry stationed at Schofield Barracks. When they camped out in the field, they always had to check their sleeping bags for these devils. Truly sinister.
Sinister is an excellent word for them. Thanks for reading it, A.A. Zavala and may you have a good Memorial Day.
Awesome job! I don't like to kill things, but I will if they're venomous. I'll have nightmares now! lol
You know what Pamela, since I met you on here I've been sort of envious of you living on a paradise island with the beautiful ocean and stunning scenery. Now you've told us about these critters I'm not so sure. Can they really hurt you then? Do they bite or sting? I would live in fear of one getting into my (or worse-the grandkids' beds) and causing something nasty to happen Ugh! They look ugly and iof a bug looks ugly it IS ugly. Can't you get bug spray to kill them like cockroaches? (I hate them too) I'm shuddering at the thought! A very good read though - thanks.
Regards. Lucie
Lucie, last night for the first time since moving back here to the islands, I had a centipede on the patio. I had just let the cat out and closed the screen. When I saw it, I started yelling at the cat to come in. Years ago she had played with one turning it over and over, just barely escaping death. I had to go out there and grab her. I didn't sleep well last night and I'm keeping the glass sliding door closed from now on. It's funny how relaxed we get if we don't see anything scary for a few months.
I worry about them getting into my grandchildren's beds, too. They've had five centipedes in their place now -- that they know of. They're moving back to Arizona in three months, though. There they will have scorpions to deal with. We have scorpions here, but we're the only ones we know who have had to encounter them in our home. (Seven months ago.) But in Arizona there are scorpions in houses -- wherever orange orchards once stood. When we owned a home there years ago, my brother would come over with his son. Our son and his cousin and uncle would fire blast the wretched things in the back yard. I can't remember the man-kind of tool they'd use, but it would throw fire at them. I'd actually feel sorry for the scorpions. Then within two days I'd find another one on the wall near the head of the bed and I'd wish I could move away. I did.
I would love to live where you live.
Thanks for reading the hub.
I would be more afraid of these centipedes than of the rattlesnakes I encounter, as these things come into your home and can hide more easily!O, wow--I never knew of these creatures getting so LONG and alarming looking.Very creepy. Great Hub!
GarnetBird, yes these creatures are truly enough to keep a person awake at night -- if one is spotted some time in the day lurking out the door. The centipedes I used to encounter in British Columbia were only about 1.5 inches to 2 inches long.
Thank you for stopping by to read.
I was just thinking - wow what would it be like to live on a paradise island - then I remembered that in the UK the worse thing I have seen today is a caterpiller!
If I came face to face with one of these critters I would be on the next flight home!!!
JulieBull, that's how I feel, too, and last week we had our first one ever in our house. It was under the fridge. Lucily, it was small. My cat heard it before me and she tossed it out of there. I screamed (and wanted to pack and leave.) My husband woke up and came to kill it. Poison spray or not, I had our place sprayed the next day.
Thanks for reading.
Ugh, those pictures are so GROSS! I was worried about the cockroaches here in El Paso, but these are nothing compared to THAT. LOL... I was so excited to be moving to Hawaii come Feb 2011 and now I'm not so sure haha. We're going to be living on post Schofield Barracks, so I don't know what the weather is like around there and how many people deal with centipedes. =[
KelliJ, I think Schofield Barracks is in a pretty dry area so probably doesn't have too much of a problem over there. And (if it is a wet area) if you can get the house and yard sprayed monthly, there's hardly ever a problem. Try not to let the bugs here worry you.
My husband killed a cockroach for me tonight -- and we rarely get them in this house. I said thank you, of course, and then I couldn't resist saying what I always say: "That's why every woman here needs a husband!" LOL
Thank you for stopping by to read.
get carburetor/choke cleaner at a car parts store, like Berryman's Chemtool. Works in a few seconds on most insects, I just nuked a big centipede with some and it disabled him immediately and killed him in under 10 seconds - it evaporates quickly and leaves no residue.
Phil Smith, thank you for the advice. I have now sent the information on to my family and friends. We need all the help we can get. And thank you for reading the hub.
YIKES, That first picture is going to give me nightmares :)I thought it would be wonderful to live on an island in Hawaii, but after reading your hub....well I'm not so sure. Still, it would be a great place to visit. It sounds like you and your family are very brave, more brave than you may think; at least a lot more brave than me :) I enjoyed reading your Hub, thanks for being so candid.
Pam, First I want to say thanks for your lighthearted way of dealing with such an icky subject!! I enjoyed your levity. I, also, enjoyed the comments. I do have a question, though. The top picture where the "thing" is on the person's hand...is it alive??? It is painful even to look at this never mind thinking of it on someone's hand!!
Thank you, Pat. Yes, the centipede in the photo is alive. It might have been de-fanged, though. It looks like it might be missing it's big pincher-things.
We had forgotten about those painful buggers until we moved to Arizona. Now we get scorpions and centipedes! But its ok, the centipedes out here would make a quick meal for those monsters on Maui, yikes!
I am not a fan at all of centipedes. We had mean ones growing up in Hilo. Very informative and in depth giving the play by play on the centipedes!
MosLadder and JMAW, thanks for reading my hub. I've seen the centipedes in Arizona and you're right, MosLadder.
Eeeyouuuuu! I live in Florida and I have learned to take lizards, giant grasshoppers, beetles and even roaches - even big flying roaches - (I do HATE those things though), but I don't know about those centipedes. I still think Hawaii would be great.
Great hub & fantastic topic! I remember getting bit by one in a resort on the Kona side. It crawled right under the doorway of our condo! When my mom told the front desk what happened, they told her it was "centipede season" LMAO!!!
TattooKitty, and HOW you must remember getting bit by one. That has got to be the all-time nightmare, living through the moments until you can get the THING off of you.
Thanks for dropping by to read my hub.
I lived in Laie when I was eleven. That was . . . 1961. Our house had just been built and two houses down there was a giant bare field, part of which housed the machinery. One day I came meandering back from the beach across that field, barefoot, not long after it had rained. Gradually I noticed movement near my feet, then all throughout the field! Hundreds of thousands of centipedes swarming out of their burrows, spreading across the ground! And I was already too far across to turn back. One crawled across my foot, then another. I screamed at my brothers who were way ahead of me and started sobbing. They were both wearing shoes. One of them came back to help me the rest of the way home. That was one of the only two times that I was really scared living there.
Sustainable Sue, hundreds of thousands -- or even just hundreds -- of centipedes would traumatize me for life. I'm so glad you have lived to regale the fact and still sound normal. I'm glad it didn't ruin you for life. That's an amazing story. And it's also amazing that you didn't get bitten before your brother showed up.
Afterwards I heard that one of the students at the college there had been bitten by a centipede while showering. He swelled all up and died from it. I'm not allergic to insects or anything, but yeah, I'm glad I didn't get bit either.
Sustainable Sue, that's really scary. When I lived in Africa, rain would flood scorpions out of their holes, and they'd take refuge in our tents. Aaaagh! But it wasn't as bad as your centipedes. And I learnt to stick a rolled up sock in the place where the three zips met in my sleeping tent doorway, 'cos nothing was going to get in there if I could help it. Nor snakes, beetles etc. Amazing places to live, but nerves of steel are sometimes needed. I love your Hawaii stories Pamela.
These are just creepy. We had one as a "pet" in the lab I worked in as a graduate student. It sat in an aquarium right near my bench and I hated looking at it.
It eventually gave it's life for science- it was used for genetic sequencing. I was happy to see it go and so very glad that I didn't have to be the one to pull it out and kill it to get it's DNA!
That's so sad that someone there died from a centipede bite. Yes, he must have been allergic as you mention as I know several people who've been bitten and recovered. The next comment (by Keri Summers) is to you, too.
You're a very brave lady, Keri Summers. I can't imagine what you'd be doing in a tent under such conditions. I'd last about ten minutes and that's if the tent was right outside the nice hotel.
This is the first time I've been happy to hear of a creature which was used for research in a laboratory. But even though I can't stand these creatures, I am glad he was dead for the purpose of the research. Thanks for the read.
I was working on Discovery wildlife films. Amazing experience, but it had its occasional challenges! But in general I have to say I felt very safe there. In the UK, before I went, I felt far more nervous driving 60 miles a day on the busy motorways, whereas in the Serengeti there was nothing to crash into! Different kinds of dangers.
OH MY GOD!!!! I COULD NOT IMAGINE SEEING ONE OF THOSE DARN CENTIPEDES!!! WE ARE MOVING TO FORT SHAFTER HAWAII IN APRIL. I'M SO EXCITED TO MOVE THERE, BUT I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CENTIPEDES AND CANE SPIDERS. I'M ALREADY HAVING DREAMS OF THEM AND I'M NOT EVEN THERE YET. I WONDER, ARE THERE ANY ON FORT SHAFTER? HAVE ANYBODY SEEN THEM ON POST? WHAT CAN YOU BUY TO KILL THEM? HELP PLEASE!!
SO FREAKED OUT!
A pesticide company has different kinds of pesticide to spray along the sliding glass patio doors and under the fridge, etc -- and out on the lawn or parts of the yard. This does kill the critters but it generally takes a few days. You might be lucky, though, and not see a single one in your area. Thanks for stopping by.
I sure hope I am lucky enough to not see them at all.
thanks
Just got back from the big island and in only 9 days had two encounters with these multi-legged armored freaks-of-nature. I was living in the bottom apartment of the house my family rented. we'd been out walking a few days earlier and had seen a dead one, about 6 inches long. Not too big, but still... Ugh... Well, anyways, I was going down the stairs to my basement abode, barefoot as I had been over the past week to enjoy the heat, and WHAM!! Something hit my foot and stung like several bee stings! I only saw a flash of movement of something about a foot long, before I was up the stairs and back in the house. Those things hurt!! The twin punctures were about 3/4 of an inch apart and my foot went numb. It tingled painfully for the rest of the night, and was tender for several days. Then on the last night, I walked into the bathroom, to find one winding its way along the floor. After a mild panic attack and pausing to grab and don my steel toed shoes, I went back to crush the foul beast. Not such a great idea, as it turned out, there was a mild crunch as I only caught the back of it, and then it exploded into motion and vanished behind the toilet. When I bent to look, all I saw was a hole in the wall. It must have crawled outside, but I spent the rest of the night in a fenzy that it must have gotten into the walls and barely slept... Gotta say, I love Hawaii, but now that I've encountered these guys and been stung... I'm revising my opinion...
Whoa, that's quite a tale of courage and fortitude you've told. I'm glad you survived to tell it. I honestly think I'd have a heart attack or an anxiety attack that would bring on a heart attack if one of those things crawled onto me -- to take a bite -- let alone actually bit me.
That really must have hurt. And I don't know how you stayed in the house after the second encounter -- or the first. I can understand how you have a slightly different feeling toward Hawaii now. Me, too. I gained that feeling after seeing the first centipede of many. My husband took a flying leap and stomped on it. It ran in two directions, half went one way, half went the other.
I just saw a huge one crawling down my closet curtain and I went on automatic attack mode!! I didnt think I just took my slipper and beat the crap out of it! It was still alive!!! Sort of like a nightmare!! I only knocked it out….. so I threw it in the toilet and flushed it down with lots of paper chasing it!!! I hope i don't see another one for a long…long…while!!!
I can feel your anxiety. I've been there but not 'done that'. I've never done anything but yell for help and jump on the kitchen table. Good for you that you tackled it head on. I hope you never have to go through that again.
What a shame that these beautiful animals arouse such disdain and pathetic fear from you and your family. They are hardly harming anything, which is more than what I can say for those 'feral cats' that you feed.
You certainly are entitled to your opinion. It is the first time I've heard someone express their opinion of 10-inch to 11 or even 12-inch centipedes as beautiful animals, but, hey, you're entitled. As for your opinion on the feral cats, I am sorry to hear your opinion...but each to his own.
10 inches, 12 inches, 20 inches; size does not detract from beauty. Neither does irrational fear. These animals have every reason and then some to fear US, smashing them, cutting them up for existing and prodding their dying bodies. I cringed reading this hub and its replies. Never has a centipede attacked me in such a manner or caused me any such distress.
Well, then you are very lucky, Melissa. I have several friends who have been bitten and traumatized. I am glad you are able to see beauty in all of earth's creatures.
Do they climb? Like onto beds? Walls?
Yes, centipedes do climb onto beds, walls and even ceilings. They especially like to hide under fridges after they make their sneaky entrance by clinging to the bottom of the sliding patio door for a few hours. If the yard has been newly sprayed with pesticide especially meant for them, centipedes wait for the sliding door to open so they can hitch a ride on the bottom of the panel to safety.
That's scary. Never knew that! We just had 2 big ones in our house on Kauai the past two nights cause it was raining.
NOOO....tell your daughter to stop cutting them in half!! They put off a smell that attracts more centipedes!!! We live on Hickam and we have found the best option is to suck them up in the vacuum and let them swirl around with the dirt for a minute. The dust basically suffocates them and then you have zero smell to attract new centipedes.
Yes, whoa, thank you. That's quite a method you've got to get rid of centipedes. Our daughter did find the smell of the dead centipede attracted new visitors. After realizing that, she did indeed carry the intruding centipede outside with tongs before killing it and then the smell attracted new ones only to the front yard area. She and the family have moved from Maui -- so no more centipede problems for her.
I'm very surprised that a minute or so of swirling dirt in the vacuum can suffocate them. They are so tough. I know some readers have written me to say I'm a horrible person for wanting to kill them. They've obviously never been confronted with one when alone in a closed area. Thanks for commenting.
When I was stationed at Kaneohe MCAS, working the night shift, and living in the barracks, I had one crawl in my window, and onto my bed. I was asleep at the time, and it crawled on my neck. I woke up with a fright, and slung my pillow (and the centipede)clean across the room. Needless to say, that did not kill him! So, I carefully scooped him up, not knowing if he were poisonous or not, and took him downstairs for one of my corporals, who loved bugs, to take a gander at.
You were brave. And there are those people around who actually really find bugs fascinating -- like your former corporal. It amazes me. Thanks for commenting.
Rose West Level 3 Commenter 2 years ago
Those photos give me a sinking feeling inside! I didn't know about the centipedes in Hawaii until I moved here. I guess paradise needs something to keep it from being heaven :) One time, a huge centipede came up the drain when I was by myself, and then it disappeared when I left to frantically find the bug spray. It eventually came out from behind the couch. It taks a LOT of bug spray to kill one of those things!