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This cartoon by Centi-Pete R. Dinklage.

he first centipedes doesn’t have a leg
to stand on. I’ve got
appeared about 430 million a leg up on
years ago, making them one all the other
of the oldest groups of animals in the world. actors.
Scientists have identified more than 3,000
different species of centipede and believe
there may be more than twice that number What do you
that have yet to be discovered. call a wealthy centipede?
A dollarpede.

Centipedes are predators A centipede’s body

that feed on just about any creature loses moisture quickly. Because
Each pair of a centipede’s legs are slightly they can overpower. Most feed on small of this, centipedes prefer to live in dark,
longer than the pair directly in front of it. insects, spiders and worms, but some larger moist places under rocks, leaves, soil
Can you find the hidden words? species prey on frogs, lizards, mice,
Centipedes are able to regrow legs lost to Search carefully because some and other ground litter, or
words are backward or diagonal.
small birds and bats. inside rotting wood.
a predator. The
CENTIPEDE HOUSE PAIR name
PREDATOR LATIN LEGS “centipede”
HUNDRED GIANT PEST is Latin for The common house
COMMON MOIST SOIL “hundred legs.” centipede is found in homes across
Scolopendra gigantea, also known as the REGROW DARK BOB Despite the Europe and North America. It is actually
Amazonian giant centipede or Peruvian VENOM PREY BUG name, there are a harmless and helpful bug, preying
giant centipede, is the largest species of MC M U R D O S T A T I O no species of on roaches, spiders, silverfish and
centipede. Some grow to be more than E O R E O O G R A T E K I centipede with other household pests.
30 cm (12 in.) in length. A D I C E E T I N U R T Y 100 legs because
A G E S L A P A L A D L O What
Centipedes all centipedes do you say to
are nocturnal. C O U P T N I P D E W I W have an odd a centipede before
Centipedes live for O L D B I G V O R E D O W number of it goes on stage?
2 to 5 years, but Centipedes are MO O T O T E D S E R S O pairs of Break a hundred
some may live as found all over MB A T S U N U R G Y P O legs. legs!
long as 10 years. the world. O L E E P U O E E I E I O
N O P E H H M R C A R T S

Centipedes have extremely simple eyes. A centipede’s venomous

Most can only distinguish between fangs, called “forcipules,” are actually
light and dark. a modified pair of legs. The venom paralyzes
their prey and can cause intense
pain in humans.

Can you spot six differences between these two scenes?

is shorter. 2. Antenna is missing.
3. Eyes are moved. 4. Flower is
GAME ANSWERS: 1. Antenna

different. 5. Mouth is different.

6. Leg is missing.

What is
both on the
ground and one
hundred
What do you call feet in the air?
a centipede wearing perfume? A centipede on
A scentipede. its back.

For more information: “Crawling Centipedes” by Celeste Bishop (PowerKids Press) or “Giant Centipedes” by Grace Hansen (Abdo Kids). Find hundreds of past issues at: www.shortcutscomic.com Distributed by Andrews McMeel for UFS, Inc. © Jeff Harris 2021 9/13

16 TwinkleHSTAR n TheHitavada, Saturday, March 12, 2022 17