House Centipede
Scutigera coleoptrata
House centipedes can run at an astonishing speed of 1.3 feet per second, and they can autotomize (shed) their legs to escape predators, growing them back during their next molt.
- Scientific name
- Scutigera coleoptrata
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Chilopoda › Scutigeromorpha › Scutigeridae › Scutigera
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- urban
- Habitat
- Damp, dark indoor spaces like basements, bathrooms, and crawlspaces, as well as outdoor caves, leaf litter, and under bark.
- Diet
- Carnivorous insectivore feeding on cockroaches, silverfish, carpet beetle larvae, termites, spiders, and ants.
- Range
- North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Africa
- Size
- 2.5 to 5 cm (1 to 2 inches) body length, up to 10 cm including legs and antennae
- Lifespan
- 3 to 7 years
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Widespread use of indoor chemical pesticides and direct human eradication due to entomophobia.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and highly beneficial to humans. They are defensive and will only bite if handled roughly; their weak venom rarely penetrates human skin, causing only mild, bee-sting-like irritation. Do not crush them. If bitten, wash the area with soap and water and apply a cold compress.
Scutigera coleoptrata , also known as the house centipede , is a species of centipede that is typically yellowish-gray and has up to 15 pairs of long legs. Originating in the Mediterranean region, it has spread to other parts of the world, where it frequently lives in and around human homes. It is an insectivore, preying on insects and arachnids by envenomating them. Their mild venom and small organs of envenomation render the species nearly incapable of harming...
Photo: Kyle Elshoff, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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