SAN ANTONIO – Along with the high number of sightings of roaches and snakes as a result of the rainfall this spring and summer, the Texas cherry headed centipede is also coming out of hiding, creating a bit of an Internet sensation.
One boy pulled one from his ear, the subject of viral photos and new stories. At Garner State Park, another giant centipede was found at the park headquarters and circulated on Facebook. Now more people are noticing the arthropods, which are coming out to hunt other pests like mice, rats and roaches.
Jacob Galvan is an expert of insects and other critters at the San Antonio Zoo's Education Center.
"The rain has made a big difference. The saturation has made it right for a lot of things to come up, like tadpoles, centipedes, roaches," he said.
But unlike many bugs, centipedes are dangerous to touch because they almost always will pierce your skin with their sharp mandibles and inject a nasty venom.
Karen Macias also works in the zoo's Education Center and said she tries to explain to children out exploring to never touch a centipede.
"Every person has a different reaction to the venom of a centipede, so you never know how your body is going to react. I would call your doctor right away," she warned.
Symptoms of a bite or sting include severe pain, swelling, redness, headache, nausea, anxiety and racing heart palpitations.
They tend to burrow underground and under rocks where other critters will come for water, like swimming pools and lakes. Zoo experts say removing one from your home is tricky, since you cannot touch it and they are very fast, so you may want to cal an exterminator if you spot one.
For more information on centipede bites, click here.