Observation 1 (ZH)

So cute! I live on the second floor!

I very recently moved (on the 31st[A blue moon!]) into a new apartment. It's a quite, cute, quaint apartment in the farthest reaches of Logan Square... so i guess admittedly it's in Avondale. I have lived in Chicago for 2 years in a couple of locations, one being the SAIC dorms and a different apartment than the one i am in now that was actually in Logan Square-- my first apartment ever!

I'm sure most of you know the feeling of being in your first apartment, an exciting, grand, emotional endeavor. My first apartment was amazing, especially for a "garden view", except for the infestation. That's right, THE INFESTATION!

My first better-than-most "garden view" was swarming with SATAN SPIDERS! Alright, perhaps Satan Spiders aren't a real entomological name but i wasn't sure how else to describe the menacing little buggers.

They were so frightening with there many legs and a flamboyantly long antenna. Let us just say that not many Satan Spiders survived that year. In fact i once took a picture of one on a disposable camera in a attempt to steal it's soul.

It unfortunately did not fall to the ground and lay lifeless, it ran in its haste far away from me.

And so i moved away (there is a lot more to this part of the story but i'll save you the time) and to my regret the SATAN SPIDER WAS BACK! Yes, back in full force in my cute Logan Sqaure/Avondale apartmen.

So, i needed to do some research. Google told me that this thing is often referred to as a House Centipede, because of there fondness of being in warm places, or scientifically known as

Scutigera Coleoptrata,

which sounds a lot more harmless then what i thought it could, or should, be called. Actually the entomological name looked like Scutigera Cleopatra at first glance which i find sort of glamorous. It also said that it's harmless humans and it eats silverfish, mosquito, bed bugs and other real nuisances like spiders! 

But still, look at this thing. Terrifying.

 And i am certainly not the only one afraid of it, here is a description giving in 1902 of the horrid little beast:

“It may often be seen darting across floors with very great speed, occasionally stopping suddenly and remaining absolutely motionless, presently to resume its rapid movements, often darting directly at inmates of the house, particularly women, evidently with a desire to conceal itself beneath their dresses, and thus creating much consternation.”

And despite the obvious patriarchal tone the quote, people have always found the House Centipede terrifying.

So i will stop the genocide in my apartment and try hard to turn my head when i see one. I will use all my will to not wish them back to there Mediterranean origin and welcome them.

-ZH