I saw this bizarre looking bug on the balcony last night and would love it if any one can tell me what it is.

It's sorta like a centipede in a sense that it has a lot of legs (sorry I didn't count them one by one) but its body and legs are shaped more like that if a cockcroach. It's about the size of a normal cigarette lighter.

Sorry I can't provide you with a photo of the beast since my gut reaction was to stomp on it and then erase all evidence of the malicious murder...

Where can I buy some of that stuff you must have been smoking - it must be good shit

Simple - catch a toad, skin it and then a good lick

Since no one else seem any wiser, I'll assume I came across a freak of nature (I mean the centipede/croach...)

Samson,
Take a picture with your mobile phone camera next time before stomping on it!

The flash (if any) of the camera will probably shoo away the critter and you can avoid stepping on it next time.
Just because it's ugly doesn't mean it's dangerous... Just take me as an example...

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I did think to take a pic, but the thought only occured as I was flushing the remains down the loo.

Meanwhile, I'm beginning to think I might have killed the last of the specie - no further sightings yet! Oh no! It could've been the scientific find of a lifetime... the bug could've been named after me... now that's a great story to tell the grandkids (if the seeds between my groin should be so fruitful)


No flash - I'll hold a torch in one hand and take the photo with the other. But I'm sure the bugger would have enough time to run away by the time I get myself ready...

Yes, a more detailed description, or better, a photo is really essential to make more than a guess.

There is a long-legged centipede in Hong Kong (I've never seen one) which is supposed to be a lot less dangerous than the big glossy one we all know and hate. There are some (disgusting) pictures here:

http://www.ngensis.com/myriapod.htm

Zep,
pictures like that, right after my breakfast! Bleurggghhh!

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Or just before I'm about to have dinner...

I'm quite happy to confirm that my freak looks something like the scutigeromorpha pictured on the website - only it was a bit more 3D when I first cast sight on it, and then a bit more squashed and dead after a stomp...

I've seen the scutigeromorpha centipede before - and they move like an elongated daddy longlegs (not scientific name but it's what we called them as kids in England).

I've heard these called woodland centipedes a few times and they are a bit harder to find than normal centipedes.

I'm not sure if they bite/sting too but as i've been bitten by centipedes in bed before so I don't take any prisoners and stomp on any type of centipede that gets in my house.

PS If you think it's wrong to kill centipedes then i can assure you that this would change if you too were woken in the middle of the night by being bitten on the tip of your John Thomas by one of these insects from hell!!

I agree - something with a painful bite is asking for trouble and can expect to be stomped. I've never seen one of these long-legged centipedes. The scienctific name is actually Scutigera ( the -morpha bit is for the whole family). You may be interested in this website from the US where the author has a love-hate relationship (mainly hate) with another species of Scutigera, Scutigera cleopatra, the American house centipede

http://www.math.umd.edu/~schris/scutigera.shtml

It does seem that Scutigera does not often bite and when it does it is not so bad. Anyone have any evidence that suggests otherwise?

.

Here's another picture of the evil beast from a Japanese website:

http://www.species.jp/navi.cgi?cmd=cv&Ca=2_1_4

It goes by its alternative name Thereupoda