THOSE AWFUL CENTIPEDES............

[berwynson]

Occasionally would be seen in the basement, rarely, on an upstairs wall in summertime. I've sought further information on their type and origins, but never quite found a species like them- about half-dollar size, gray in color, reclusive and nocturnal, and as my Dad put it, "Fast as lightning!". I never saw one outdoors, in 30 years of Berwyn living.

Some of the basements had a partial floor of wood in addition to the concrete like we had; those damned things TEEMED under the wood floors! I know for a fact that they could bite, leaving a nasty red welt!

In Arizona, we found them in the desert, entirely different type, more like legged-worms, up to a foot long, or more, with body segments spheroidal like marbles. Barehanded, my wife grasped a handful of hay off a bale, came up with a 4-inch long centipede hanging off her palm, where it had attached it's mandibles! She got a painful swollen red lump there, lasted a week; those were said to be venomous (but not dangerously so).

I can't imagine they've been eliminated from bungalow life in Berwyn, have they? Berwynson

[berwynson]

There is a good picture of one further down under the post "INSECTS". Berwynson

[Mugster]

They certainly have NOT been eliminated!  They are very much alive and well in Berwyn.  Found one in my kitchen a few nights ago, so the cold weather didn't do away with them either.  It was disgustingly big and not fazed much by being sprayed by Windex, although that got it to run to a place where I could smash it to oblivion.  I've yet to find a way to get rid of them.  And like you said, I've never seen one outside my home. 

I suppose when I look back on my memories of Berwyn, I won't be able to forget the critters either, but I won't remember them fondly!

[Bonster]

I like those things...fuzzy & harmless.

http://www.berwyntalk.com/smf/index.php?topic=1418.msg30507#msg30507

[berwynson]

My friend, Howard Kostoris', grandparents owned the house at 2519 S. Gunderson, had been there for decades, and  Howard's family moved there from a basement apartment on 19th. St. adjacent to where the new pool would be.

He warned me that their basement was so bad, that dinosaurs still lived in it! The grandfather, a Swede, was a wood craftsman, and sure enough, there was so much clutter down there, almost anything could possibly be in it!   Berwynson

[Matryoshka]

Those are the most putrid bugs I've ever seen in my life...and they are somewhat indigenous to Berwyn. At my house, we call 'em million-leggers . I had never seen any such creature 'til I came to Berwyn. They seem to be comprised of about 98% water...when smashed, they disappear almost totally, leaving behind a slight trace of ash-like substance. I think every region has their own breed of this most-disgusting species. Their Italian cousins (whom I"ve whacked in Italy) look almost identical but have a slightly different texture...more worm-like body which doesn't dissintegrate as much as their Berwyn cousins do. Perhaps it has something to do with their diet? We noticed a drop in their presence when we took up our carpet. And, btw, I HAVE on occasion, seen them outdoors.