I found this guy that came out of a drainage hole of the pot when I watered it. Small, fast moving.
I took the pic by mobile. It is small so had trouble focusing on it, and it was moving fast, too.
Should I be worried about this insect, or not?
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3There are very, very few 'bad' guys. Most 'bad' guys become 'bad' guys because we humans in an effort to CONTROL the 'bad' guys kill the 'good' guys as well. When the 'bad' guys come back, and they will, there is usually a transition where the 'good' guys don't have the numbers to control the 'bad' guys. A good example is crane fly larvae. Those massive 'mosquito' looking insects? They lay their eggs in the LAWN and the larvae can kill the grass by eating roots and crown. Normally, birds, shrews, voles, gophers etc. eat these yummy grubs and control them just fine. Then came a .... – stormy Dec 19 '16 at 21:29
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3...pesticide that is meant for killing grubs only it also kills all insects in the soil. I had to throw a few tantrums to educate clients. They all wanted the 'treatment'. Other companies were more into 'the client is always right'...hate that! So the next year my client's neighbors who had their lawns treated to kill the crane fly grubs had no natural controls left. Their lawns were mostly dirt and huge swarms of birds trying to gobble up mass grub hatch. Total decimation of a lawn. Trying to control a 'bad' guy by killing everything caused mega problems. They could afford new sod. – stormy Dec 19 '16 at 21:38
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That's interesting. Should I be worried if this thing grows to its full size? @stormy – 4-K Dec 20 '16 at 06:56
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2it's a centipede, and while it's possibly not dangerous, I have heard it has a nasty bite, so better not to have it in your room – user17915 Dec 20 '16 at 07:19
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If they live in soil, why would they roam my home? I found the centipede come out from a pot in my home. :( @user17915 – 4-K Dec 24 '16 at 13:57
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@4-K Sorry may be I misunderstood what you wrote. In any case, I just meant be careful they don't find their way inside the house, for example, in case there were some living under a pot at the balcony or something. – user17915 Dec 24 '16 at 15:24
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It seems to be a garden centipede - they don't damage plants, they predate other creatures rather than plants. They like to hide in damp places during the day, they need moisture to survive, so possibly it was hiding underneath your plant pot and only ran when it was flooded out. More info here http://www2.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/garden_centipede.htm
Bamboo
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2Most of centipedes have poison,Ranged from very light itch to excruciating one. It's not really worrisome for your plants, but best if you don't em sting you. – user16397 Dec 19 '16 at 17:47
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3@4-K Exactly, nothing to worry about - you wouldn't want an army of them living in your house, but nothing to worry about outdoors for your plants. They are unlikely to attack you either, they just run away really fast.... – Bamboo Dec 20 '16 at 12:36
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Bamboo is absolutely right, centipedes pose no harm to your garden. In fact they will help you get rid of dangerous insects by eating them. What you should be slightly concerned about is millipedes. Usually they're not a threat, unless they become too large in numbers. Although they generally feed on decomposing organic material, millipedes can turn to plant matter including leaves, stems and roots. And although they do not bite, they can secrete a fluid that can irritate the skin and can cause an allergic reaction in some people. So, be on the lookout for these critters. – Pol Bishop Mar 08 '17 at 08:54
