Mukade
Mukade is a poisonous centipede in Japan. Mukade belongs to Scolopendridae family, which refers to the poisonous centipede species.
They are often referred to in Japanese literature as a symbols of darkness and evil.
For example in Tanizaki's "Yume no hashi", bite of mukade kills the narrator's mother.
Their reputation is well deserved. These centipedes climb to walls, and sometimes drop on to victim. Although few accidents are reported, some of the mukade species contain so much poison that a bite to neck can kill adult human being. Also they have nasty tendency to crawl to human body cavities, such as nose or ear when subject is sleeping.
Mukade eats cockroaches and flies and spiders. They are predators with amazingly fast movement. They might lay still for long time, and when disturbed they move swiftly. When killing them one should be careful, because if you cut them in half, the biting end might attack you. It is necessary to hit the head.
Mukade lives in dark and moist places, such as in kitchen sink sewer. They are said to live up to seven years.
There are many interesting folklore and beliefs about the mukade in Japan. It is said for example that to kill them you must burn them, otherwise they might come back to life and revenge you. There is also story that during the Kanto earthquake, earth opened up and they broke free from the depths of hell and escaped on earth.
When I lived in Japan, one once tried to bite me.
I was walking down a street in Gifu City to visit some friends, the castle and the museum when it crossed my path and jumped at my leg. I jumped out of the way, looked at what it was as it crawled up the steps of a house, and upon realizing what it was, ran away. Later, I saw another one in a tree, but it was eaten by a green lizard.
So any centipede in the world can be described as mukade.
2. All centipede are venomous
3. Genrally none of them is fatal to humans
4. There are different names for different mukade in Japanese
They won't kill a human even in a weak healthy condition.
I'm allergic against insect venom. And I'm alive though. The bit din't even swell.
All those "Mukade-Killing-People-Storys are just some nice fairytales to scare kids and women.
It is rather painful like a wasp sting. And thats it.
They also eat scorpions in China.
High in protein! Low in calories!
I am thinking that investing in a deep fryer whenever mukade come around would be well worth the yen.