Eating Myself: Giant Centipede | National Geographic

you probably think of centipedes as tiny

you probably think of centipedes as tiny squishy bothersome things cowering in

squishy bothersome things cowering in

squishy bothersome things cowering in your garden meet the South American

your garden meet the South American

your garden meet the South American centipede about a foot long in your face

centipede about a foot long in your face

centipede about a foot long in your face and full of surprises first surprise

and full of surprises first surprise

and full of surprises first surprise this centipede is still growing so it’s

this centipede is still growing so it’s

this centipede is still growing so it’s got to shed so a new exoskeleton can

got to shed so a new exoskeleton can

got to shed so a new exoskeleton can grow on its body like a debutante

grow on its body like a debutante

grow on its body like a debutante wriggling out of a too-tight evening

wriggling out of a too-tight evening

wriggling out of a too-tight evening gown the centipede has to squirm slink

gown the centipede has to squirm slink

gown the centipede has to squirm slink twitch rye then is out of its

twitch rye then is out of its

twitch rye then is out of its confinement finally finally it gets out

confinement finally finally it gets out

confinement finally finally it gets out of its old body armor now it has to

of its old body armor now it has to

of its old body armor now it has to plump up fast before its epidermis

plump up fast before its epidermis

plump up fast before its epidermis secretes chitin too soon if the chitin

secretes chitin too soon if the chitin

secretes chitin too soon if the chitin hardens into a shell why the centipede

hardens into a shell why the centipede

hardens into a shell why the centipede is still on the smallish side the

is still on the smallish side the

is still on the smallish side the shedding would have been pointless hey

shedding would have been pointless hey

shedding would have been pointless hey what could be more convenient snacking

what could be more convenient snacking

what could be more convenient snacking than that handy old exoskeleton what do

than that handy old exoskeleton what do

than that handy old exoskeleton what do you call this I mean it’s not

you call this I mean it’s not

you call this I mean it’s not cannibalism because that’s eating

cannibalism because that’s eating

cannibalism because that’s eating another of your own species I guess you

another of your own species I guess you

another of your own species I guess you could call this in Auto grazing

could call this in Auto grazing

could call this in Auto grazing the centipede has a new skin and a new

the centipede has a new skin and a new

the centipede has a new skin and a new attitude predator it’s hungry and eating

attitude predator it’s hungry and eating

attitude predator it’s hungry and eating its old skin just isn’t good enough it’s

its old skin just isn’t good enough it’s

its old skin just isn’t good enough it’s after a baby green iguana the iguana is

after a baby green iguana the iguana is

after a baby green iguana the iguana is fast

fast

fast twitchy highly mobile and impulsive the

twitchy highly mobile and impulsive the

twitchy highly mobile and impulsive the centipede is slower persistent hungry

centipede is slower persistent hungry

centipede is slower persistent hungry and strategic the centipede advances on

and strategic the centipede advances on

and strategic the centipede advances on the iguana iguana retreats the iguana

the iguana iguana retreats the iguana

the iguana iguana retreats the iguana scoots the centipede crawls scoot crawl

scoots the centipede crawls scoot crawl

scoots the centipede crawls scoot crawl scoot crawl

scoot crawl

scoot crawl whoopsie-daisy somehow after all that

whoopsie-daisy somehow after all that

whoopsie-daisy somehow after all that scooting the iguana finds itself at the

scooting the iguana finds itself at the

scooting the iguana finds itself at the end of a branch how that happened

end of a branch how that happened

end of a branch how that happened no the centipede moves in for the moment

no the centipede moves in for the moment

no the centipede moves in for the moment of truth the iguana

of truth the iguana

of truth the iguana considers its options and in a defensive

considers its options and in a defensive

considers its options and in a defensive response leaps into the safety of the

response leaps into the safety of the

response leaps into the safety of the water below

okay so the centipede wasn’t satisfied

okay so the centipede wasn’t satisfied eating its own skin and then it failed

eating its own skin and then it failed

eating its own skin and then it failed to nab a more substantial meal know what

these baby rats are safe because Mom is

these baby rats are safe because Mom is guarding the nest but mom has to go

guarding the nest but mom has to go

guarding the nest but mom has to go grocery shopping

grocery shopping

grocery shopping leaving the babies completely helpless

leaving the babies completely helpless

leaving the babies completely helpless speaking of grocery shopping the

speaking of grocery shopping the

speaking of grocery shopping the centipede relies on ground vibrations

centipede relies on ground vibrations

centipede relies on ground vibrations and ant any touch to locate a feast like

and ant any touch to locate a feast like

and ant any touch to locate a feast like this one

this one

this one mom senses danger and races to the

mom senses danger and races to the

mom senses danger and races to the rescue the centipede is chased off but

rescue the centipede is chased off but

rescue the centipede is chased off but not before mom discovers one of her

not before mom discovers one of her

not before mom discovers one of her babies dead killed by the senate eat now

babies dead killed by the senate eat now

babies dead killed by the senate eat now wait a minute we don’t want you to think

wait a minute we don’t want you to think

wait a minute we don’t want you to think that centipedes are Venom’s spewing

that centipedes are Venom’s spewing

that centipedes are Venom’s spewing hundred legged baby killers I mean the

hundred legged baby killers I mean the

hundred legged baby killers I mean the females can be devoted moms I dare any

females can be devoted moms I dare any

females can be devoted moms I dare any predator to try and get at these eggs

predator to try and get at these eggs

predator to try and get at these eggs this mom is literally a basket case

this mom is literally a basket case

this mom is literally a basket case protecting her eggs until they hatch and

protecting her eggs until they hatch and

protecting her eggs until they hatch and a new generation of fierce multi limbed

a new generation of fierce multi limbed

a new generation of fierce multi limbed warriors are unleashed on the jungle