Nature

Scutigera is a centipede with a compact body fringed with fine, long limbs that resemble eyelashes. This particular example is missing several legs, poor thing. Photograph by Peter B Tzannes, 2004

This shy millipede has a dark, glossy body that stretches and curls along the wall to form amusing shapes, transforming itself from a straight line into a question mark, a half-circle, or an ess-curve, then curling up in...

The vromopapadia is a harmless millipede whose names translates as 'stinking priest's wife.' That’s because, when prodded, the vromopapadia emits an oily, sickly, lingering stench. In dry weather, the vromopapadia hides...

Even in death, when its body segments turn into a dry little heap of tiny white hoops, the vromopapadia can put out a repulsive smell. If you find it necessary to remove a vromopapadia, dead or alive, do so gingerly and...

The truly terrifying Scolopendra, who slithers around with a sinister, rippling movement on forty legs that all end in needle-sharp spikes. Photograph by Peter B Tzannes, 2004

This small Scolopendra has blue-green legs. Perhaps this coloration is typical of immatures, or maybe this creature belongs to a subspecies of the larger, yellow-legged variety. Photograph by Peter B Tzannes, 2004

Like all centipedes, the Scolopendra has a painful, poisonous bite. Just look at those jaws! Photograph by Peter B Tzannes, 2004

The Soil Centipede is a snakelike, red-yellow, eyeless creature that wiggles violently. And he is fast! Photograph by Peter B Tzannes, 2003

In July, the artichoke blossoms open, attracting swarms of rose beetles. The shining emerald beetles against the pale purple flowers has got to be one of Nature's most wonderful color combinations.