What Are Centipedes Afraid Of? The Correct Way to Treat a Bite

The centipede, also known as Tianlong, is a common insect on hillsides and in sandy areas. Because of its high medicinal value, it is widely used as medicine, but since it is venomous, many people are afraid of it. So what are centipedes afraid of? What should you do if you are bitten?

I. Introduction to centipedes:

1. How many legs does a centipede have?

The centipede is also known as the hundred-footer, but that does not mean it has one hundred legs. In fact, it has only 20 pairs, but because the species differ, some centipedes may have over a hundred pairs while others have only a dozen or so pairs. For example, the medicinal centipede usually has only 21 pairs of walking legs and 1 pair of maxillipeds, the qianchuanzi centipede has only 15 pairs of walking legs and 1 pair of maxillipeds, and some centipedes have 35 pairs, 45 pairs, and the most reach 173 pairs, so the exact number of pairs depends on what kind of centipede it is.

2. What kinds of centipedes are there?

There are many kinds of centipedes, which can be divided into red-headed centipede, green-headed centipede, black-headed centipede, many-spined centipede, few-spined centipede, few-spined giant centipede, flat-sclerite centipede, Huangwei Yu centipede, Peruvian giant centipede, Vietnamese giant centipede, Chinese red dragon centipede, Galapagos giant centipede, Amazonian giant centipede, North American giant centipede, Puerto Rican giant centipede, and others.

II. What are centipedes afraid of?

1. Centipedes are afraid of chickens: People who raise free-range chickens generally know that chickens love to eat centipedes, and when they see one they usually run over and eat it quickly. So centipedes are most afraid of chickens, and especially after a centipede bite, chicken saliva can be used to relieve the pain.

2. Centipedes are afraid of snakes: Centipedes are very afraid of snakes. Usually, once a snake spots them, it eats almost every one without missing any. Of course, the snake may also be eaten by the centipede, depending on which one wins.

3. Centipedes are afraid of realgar: Realgar has a very strong odor. Besides snakes being afraid of it, centipedes are afraid of it too. Once they smell it, they do not dare approach. So if there are centipedes nearby, you can sprinkle some realgar at wall corners, drains and other places, and then the centipedes will not dare come over.

4. Centipedes are afraid of loulan grass: Loulan grass gives off an odor. This odor is not pungent, but once centipedes smell it they do not dare approach. So if there are centipedes at home, you can soak loulan grass in water for one hour, then rub the liquid on your body, and the centipedes will not dare bite you.

5. Centipedes are afraid of pyrethrins: Pyrethrins are a type of pesticide specifically for killing centipedes. They are generally sold in pharmacies, and simply sprinkling them on the ground or in drains can repel or kill centipedes.

III. What should you do if you are bitten by a centipede?

Centipedes are venomous, and their toxicity ranks second, just after spiders. Usually the first pair of legs has venom glands that can secrete a large amount of venom. If bitten, severe cases can lead to death from poisoning, so after being bitten it must be treated promptly. The specific treatment methods are as follows:

Method 1. Find a cloth bag and wrap the wound to promptly prevent spread: After being bitten, promptly find a cloth bag, then wrap it above the wound to prevent the venom from spreading, and go to a nearby hospital for treatment in time. Before reaching the hospital, loosen the cloth bag every 15 minutes to avoid necrosis at the bite site.

Method 2. Clean the wound promptly: If you cannot find a hospital in time, you can wash the wound with soapy water or alcohol to thoroughly disinfect it. If the wound feels burning hot, go to a hospital for treatment promptly.

Method 3. Apply heat-clearing and detoxifying medicine to neutralize the poison: If you are on a mountain, you can find nearby medicines such as dandelion or houttuynia that can clear heat and detoxify, then crush them and apply them externally to the wound to neutralize the poison. If you are at home, you can also go nearby to buy some houttuynia to apply externally, but it is best to go to a hospital for treatment.

Method 4. Use cupping to suck out the venom: Make some cuts in the skin near the wound, then use a cupping jar or breast pump to suck out the venom, and finally wash the wound with potassium permanganate or ammonia solution.

The above is a detailed introduction to what centipedes are afraid of and how to treat their bites. We hope it is helpful to everyone.