molokau

ok the picture you all have been waiting for the Molokau!!! This is an attacking biting centipede, the only thing you should really be wary of here in Tonga. Their bite really hurts (Brian has assured me it is horrible, since he has been bitten twice) and causes you to go numb. I am sure the family thought I was crazy. I would see a centipede and say "is this one?" They would laugh and tell me I would know when I found one, and God were they right. I have officially been frightened by one. Late one night while I was getting up to go to the bathroom I see this thing heading straight for me and I realize it's the one! I scared the s%*t out of Stan when I screamed and flew back onto the bed, since the thing was heading straight for my feet at mach 7. Did I mention that these things haul ass! The Molokau flew under the bed and poor Stan (I can assure you he had no choice if he ever wanted me to sleep in that room again) had to coax it out and kill it, which I am glad to say he did a stellar job smashing it. (With my shoe, gross!!!!) I really didn't sleep that well that night; kept dreaming I was being chased by a Hugh centipede, Very much like a really bad B-movie. Then the next day Sosefo was playing with a baby Molokau in the kitchen tormenting it like all little boys like to do; with great caution however because they do still bite when they are small. Finally Stan killed it and I took a picture being the brave girl I am.




This picture was taken by another peace corp worker here on the island. I don't think I would want to get that close to put a pencil next to it, even when it is dead! And I assure you the one Stan killed was bigger!