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Instead of updating a previous thread on the subject of this particular centipede, I thought it may be better to start a fresh thread.
From the start...Last year, spring I was at the Hamburg, PA show, where I saw a vendor selling large Scolopendra heros castaniceps for $18. Amongst the centipede was one that was neatly balled up and clutching eggs. So I figured, there's a good chance that the other may have mated and might drop eggs for me. So I bought the largest, fattest one. A couple of months later she did indeed lay eggs. It's was June, I think. The whole thing went without a hitch. She cared for them, they developed and they seemed like they wanted to disperse. They mostly stayed in the vicinity of her, with only a few venturing out to look for food, I take it. I offered crushed large crickets, which they gang-fed on. No cannibalism occured. Not at all. Since I take terrible records, I could only guess as to how long the whole ordeal took from start to finish. I'd say a little over 3 months. Babies were removed, most sold, some died, etc., etc. Momma was by herself.
Eating pinkies, roaches, and crickets as normal.
Then in March her activities ceased, she went underground and molted. After, she was vibrantly colored and very active. A real eating machine.
June 15th. I go to feed her and find that she's caring for eggs again.
It raises some questions.
Are the eggs fertile? How can this be?
Well, today July 3rd I peered in to see if the eggs hatched and yes, they hatched.
So, in this species at least, females can retain sperm for use much later. Even retaining it after a molt. Here are the pics, from the start. Sorry for the repost of old pics, but I thought they might be relevent to this thread.
Anyways, this raised many more questions. It can even give a glimpse into the mysterious natural history of a giant centipede.
From the start...Last year, spring I was at the Hamburg, PA show, where I saw a vendor selling large Scolopendra heros castaniceps for $18. Amongst the centipede was one that was neatly balled up and clutching eggs. So I figured, there's a good chance that the other may have mated and might drop eggs for me. So I bought the largest, fattest one. A couple of months later she did indeed lay eggs. It's was June, I think. The whole thing went without a hitch. She cared for them, they developed and they seemed like they wanted to disperse. They mostly stayed in the vicinity of her, with only a few venturing out to look for food, I take it. I offered crushed large crickets, which they gang-fed on. No cannibalism occured. Not at all. Since I take terrible records, I could only guess as to how long the whole ordeal took from start to finish. I'd say a little over 3 months. Babies were removed, most sold, some died, etc., etc. Momma was by herself.
Eating pinkies, roaches, and crickets as normal.
Then in March her activities ceased, she went underground and molted. After, she was vibrantly colored and very active. A real eating machine.
June 15th. I go to feed her and find that she's caring for eggs again.
It raises some questions.
Are the eggs fertile? How can this be?
Well, today July 3rd I peered in to see if the eggs hatched and yes, they hatched.
So, in this species at least, females can retain sperm for use much later. Even retaining it after a molt. Here are the pics, from the start. Sorry for the repost of old pics, but I thought they might be relevent to this thread.
Anyways, this raised many more questions. It can even give a glimpse into the mysterious natural history of a giant centipede.
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