Giant Centipede Photo Horrifies The Internet After Image Goes Viral

Just days after the Inquisitr reported about the scary news of a 4-inch long giant centipede being pulled out from the ear of an Arkansas teenager, here’s some more horrifying news. A picture released recently by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) shows a giant red-headed centipede climbing up a broom. The image was initially on the Facebook page of the Department on July 1. While it took some time for people to start noticing it, once they did, the photo was shared thousands of times — both on Facebook and Twitter.

According to the Digital Journal, the photo of the giant centipede was taken near Garner State Park, Texas. The photo has since then turned out to be viral, with several people clearly expressing their fear of the 100-plus-legged creature.

Meanwhile, the original Facebook post on the TPWD website gave out some information regarding the giant centipede. According to them, the creature in the image is referred to as Scolopendra heros by scientists and is not classified as an insect. This giant centipede belongs to a class of arthropods known as the Chilopodae.

If you’re a Texan reading this, here’s something that may worry you. This giant centipede is native to Texas. However, it is not uncommon to find them in Northern Mexico, New Mexico, and even in Arizona. Citizens living in Arkansas and Missouri can also occasionally expect to have a rendezvous with this scary little monster. If the size of this giant centipede wasn’t intimidating enough, here’s some more bad news. This giant centipede also happens to be mildly venomous. While a bite is not life-threatening, it can be extremely painful and could cause severe swelling. It could also trigger an allergic reaction in some people which may lead to further complications. Simply put, in case you see one of these giants, it’s a good idea to keep some distance. Thanks to its size, these giant centipedes are known to prey on creatures normal-sized centipedes wouldn’t dare to touch. These include lizards, toads, rodents, and even snakes!

“They use their legs to grasp prey while feeding and their ‘fangs’ are capable of piercing the skin and injecting a painful toxin,” says Ben Hutchins from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Now for the good news. These giant centipede species are known to prefer staying underground most of the day and are occasionally seen coming out at night or during cloudy weather. The bright red color of the arthropod is usually enough deterrence to keep predators and curious humans away from it.

[Image Via Facebook]