I have house centipedes in my place. For the most part we have an uneasy truce about our interactons. My sink however seems to be a focal point of conflict. They fall in, and well can’t get out. This leads me to discovering them in either two states. Drowned or skittering about when I turn on the water. (They tend to hide under things)
Today I found a medium sized guy and decided that I would drown him. Partly as punishment for allowing himself to be seen and partly because, even those these guys are beneficial insects, they’re freaky looking. So I turned on the tap and filled up the sink with enough water, that in my estimate would drown him/her/it. Normally they, the centipedes that is, drown pretty quick. They don’t seem to have the sense to hold their breath. This guy/gal/thingy seemed to have some rudimentary swimming skills and maintained a good centi-paddle long enough to survive the initial dousing, submergence and slow drain of the water. Having survived this with some skill I decided to extend a stay of execution to my captive in hopes that he/she/it would work itself out of the sink. I would return later hoping to find the sink centi-free.
When I did return I noticed that my little prisoner was still there and that emboldened by our first encounter no longer trying to hide it’s presence. This, simply, would not do. I began the second drowning. This time with more ferocious currents tugging at him, he succumbed and drifted belly up toward the drain. After a few minutes I checked in again to the same belly up little guy. Felling somewhat remorseful I decided to offer up the remains to the outside world in hopes of some sort of circle of life, return to whence you came, burial ceremony. I reached in and picked her up by a leg. The centipede immediately sprung to life and began trying to climb my arm. I released my grip and the centipede tumbled back into the sink. Possum! Brilliant tactic my clever friend. I issued her another reprieve from death for her clever use of my gullible self.
My third drowning attempt I decided that not only would I simply a deluge of water but attempt to crash the centipede. Something that I normally try to avoid. Water filled, I attempted to squish. Some how and with effort my nemesis managed to avoid being mushed into paste by using the utensils in the sink as cover. While bobbing to the surface periodically for air. I was somewhat frustrated. I decided that this will to live had to be rewarded. I could not simply squish this tiny warrior. So I scooped her up in a tiny glass and deposited him outdoors.
*sorry for the him/her/it stuff but I don’t know how to sex these things and feel odd about making that call myself
