What to do if a scolopendra has bitten

With scolopendra - As a bright representative of the genus of the leg-footed centipedes, very often people encounter during a campaign, usually forgetting about the danger. Many when faced with this very amazing creature experience not only disgust, but also fear. And not in vain, because a bite of a scolopendra can not only spoil the rest, but also cause very unpleasant painful sensations. In addition, suppuration and even anaphylactic shock can become a consequence of a predator attack. What to do if a scolopendra has bitten, it is necessary to know all lovers of outdoor activities.

Description

Similar to the caterpillar, the scolopendra is the owner of a hard shell and a large number of clawed legs located along the entire body. The predator, whose maximum body length can reach 26 cm, preys on bugs, various invertebrates, as well as birds, lizards and rodents.

On a note!

The bite of a scolopendra is her main weapon, thanks to which she not only preys on victims, but also is able to protect herself. She is not afraid of people, attacking a person in moments of danger.

Giving help

To beware, being in nature, follows the Crimean scolopendra. She attacks tourists who have stopped for the night in the forest or on the beach. You can get a millipede bite at home, living in an insufficiently isolated apartment. Due to the fact that scolopendra leads a nocturnal lifestyle, a person is not always able to feel the bite of a sleeping house. First aid for a bite of a scolopendra is to carry out the following procedures:

• the damaged bite site is washed with water using antibacterial (laundry) soap;
• due to the fact that various bacteria and rotting particles can be on the limbs of the scolopendra, you need to know how to treat the bite, usually I use an antiseptic to disinfect the wound: hydrogen peroxide or medical alcohol;
• Levomikol ointment will help avoid tissue suppuration;
• protect the damaged skin from infection with a sterile dressing;
• the appeared puffiness is removed with a cold compress or ice;
• pain can be reduced through painkillers (Ketanov or Ibuprofen), they also take an analgesic;
• toxins are removed from the body by taking a large amount of clean water;
• if the victim is a child, as well as a person suffering from allergies or having a pathology of the cardiovascular system, then a doctor’s consultation is required;
• you should also seek medical help if, after a bite, a person feels unwell and his temperature rises, and severe swelling also appears.

Do not panic if bitten by a scolopendra in the Crimea. The consequences of a bite, which are expressed in the form of burning and swelling, will pass after 1-2 days.

First aid for a bite of a scolopendra in nature is similar. It is enough to wash the wound with soap and water, and then treat the bite with hydrogen peroxide or alcohol tincture. Next, apply a sterile dressing and drink an anesthetic.If the condition of the victim worsens, it is necessary to take measures for his delivery to the medical institution, where he will be prescribed a drug of the group of analgesics and tetanus will be prevented.

Important!

Alcohol contributes to the fastest absorption of poison by the body, causing an acceleration of blood movement. Therefore, its adoption in such situations is unacceptable. You can also not impose a tourniquet above or below the site of the bite. This can lead to tissue necrosis and the development of a gangrenous phenomenon. It is also not recommended to burn the damaged area and cut the skin to remove the poison.

Types of bite

The types of scolopendra bites depend on the size of the individual. Large millipedes can make a very noticeable wound. Smaller individuals fail to bite through the human skin. They inflict wounds through a pair of clawed modified limbs, which are located on the site closest to the head. Claws and legs serve centipedes as syringes for injecting poison into the victim's body.

On a note!

At the time of the bite, there is a strong burning sensation, as it bites a scolopendra like an wasp that can sting a person for several times.

Bite symptoms

The following symptoms may be evidence of what a scolopendra bite looks like:

• from the impact of the claws of the modified legs there remains a pair of puncture wounds around which redness and swelling occurs;
• blisters, intolerable itching and pain appear at the site of damage;
• in rare cases, numbness of the inflamed area is possible.

A photo of a scolopendra bite is presented below.

The consequences of a scolopendra bite for a person can be expressed in the occurrence of a headache, nausea, palpitations, enlarged lymph glands, shortness of breath and increased pressure. In addition to this, small puncture wounds may remain on the body, indicating the trajectory of the insect.

In quite rare cases, a bite complication may be accompanied by a secondary infection, necrosis, or even muscle breakdown. Some people even had coronary vasospasm and acute myocardial infarction.

How to avoid an insect attack

Like most of the poisonous insects that inhabit the Crimean peninsula, the representative of millipedes does not attack humans first. She attacks her victim only in case of self-defense. Despite its toxicity, insect venom is not dangerous to human life. However, it can cause serious consequences that will obscure outdoor recreation. To avoid such problems, you should follow these tips:

1. Before going to bed, the tent should be carefully checked for the presence of “strangers” in it, and then tightly closed.
2. A morning inspection of all things, shoes and clothes will help to reveal the hiding individual.
3. Caution should be exercised during the collection of firewood for the fire, as under the branches there may be shelters of many-legged predators.
4. Not the best option to provoke a millipede and even more so to take it with your hands. Having curiosity to observe the scolopendra, it is best to do it from the side. This advice should also be taken by gardening enthusiasts while collecting garbage or digging the soil.

The Crimean scolopendra bites rather painfully, but by no means fatally. You can not say about the bite of a giant millipede, whose poison is very toxic. For this reason, this type of scolopendra is listed as a particularly dangerous creature on earth. However, do not worry too much about this, such individuals live in Jamaica, in Africa, Australia and South America.