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Briton Finds Venomous Centipede in House (http://ap.lancasteronline.com/4/creepy_centipede)

Published: Aug 31, 2005 11:01 AM EST

LONDON (AP) - Aaron Balick expected to find a tiny mouse rustling behind the TV in his apartment. Instead, he found a venomous giant centipede that somehow hitched a ride from South America to Britain.

"Thinking it was a mouse, I went to investigate the sound. The sound was coming from under some papers which I lifted, expecting to see the mouse scamper away," the 32-year-old psychotherapist said Wednesday. "Instead, when I lifted the papers, I saw this prehistoric looking animal skitter away behind a stack of books."

He trapped the 9-inch-long creature between a stack of books and put it in a plastic container.

The next day he took it to Britain's Natural History Museum, which identified the insect as a Scolopendra gigantea — the world's biggest species of centipede.

Stuart Hine, an entomologist at the museum, said it was likely the centipede hitched a ride aboard a freighter, likely with a shipment of fruit.

"Dealing with over 4,000 public and commercial inquiries every year, we have come to expect the unexpected. However, when Aaron produced this beast from his bag I was staggered," Hine said. "Not even I expected to be presented with this."

The Scolopendra gigantea has front claws that are adapted to deliver venom when it stings, which can lead to a blistering rash, nausea and fever. The sting is rarely life-threatening, but painful.

(http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/ap/20050831/capt.lon80608311303.britain_lon806.jpg)

The Scolopendra gigantea has front claws that are adapted to deliver venom when it stings, which can lead to a blistering rash, nausea and fever.

Giant centipede 'was escaped pet' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4207726.stm)

Last Updated: Friday, 2 September 2005, 13:40 GMT 14:40 UK

A giant venomous centipede captured by a man at his home may have been bought in a pet shop by one of his neighbours.

Aaron Balick handed over the nine-inch Scolopendra Gigantea to the Natural History Museum after finding it behind his TV set in Islington, north London.

The largest species of centipede, it was thought it may have arrived from America in a cargo of fruit.

But after media coverage, a neighbour who collects exotic pets has come forward claiming to be the owner.

A spokeswoman for the museum said that if checks show the man to be its rightful owner, his pet would be returned.

She said a local pet shop had vouched that it had been bought there.

"The centipede is venomous and potentially dangerous.

"It is essential that the museum takes the best possible advice, before proceeding with any action for the sake of all involved and the wider public," she said.

Museum entomologist Stuart Hine said he had heard reports of one such creature growing to 18 inches in Venezuela.

Their sting, which is given through the front claws, can result in a blistering rash, nausea and fever.

No antidote to the venom exists, but the sting is very rarely life-threatening.

Mr Balick, 32, earlier told of how he discovered the creature.

"The sound was coming from under some papers which I lifted, expecting to see the mouse scamper away," he said.

"Instead, I saw this prehistoric-looking animal skitter away behind a stack of books.

"I was shocked. I thought, 'there's no way this thing is in my house, this is not for real'."

He trapped the centipede with a container against a wall and left it there overnight.

The next day he took it to the Natural History Museum who have been caring for it ever since.