the great and powerful Élise surfaced today after several weeks of subterranean excavation. I thought she could use a cricket treat & well, it took a few tries but she got it in the end!
centipedes locate prey by smell/taste but sometimes get get confused by the metal forceps if their prey item is tiny.
she’s hanging from just a few legs here! Scolopendra might look flimsy if you’ve only known plastic toy centipedes, but actually have incredibly powerful grip strength, which they use to anchor themselves to a surface as well as to grapple with their prey. in fact, some may prefer to hang suspended with a meal, since that way there’s nowhere for the prey to run.
Art from Kumari Loves a Monster by Rashmi Devadasan. Illustrated by Shyam.
“The young maidens in these pages all have beauty, brains and talent / They while away the night and day / With monsters fierce and gallant.
A romantic picture book of young girls who have fallen in love with monsters.”













