Tiger Centipede

The tiger centipede is a sizable member of the genus Scolopendra found throughout arid and semi-arid habitats of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Its common name refers to the alternating light and dark banding across its body segments, which can range from tan and brown to more vivid orange and black combinations depending on the population.

As one of the larger centipedes in its range, it is an efficient nocturnal predator of insects, spiders, and other small animals, using a powerful bite delivered through a pair of venom-injecting forcipules to subdue prey. It is highly adapted to dry conditions, remaining hidden in burrows or under rocks during the heat of the day and emerging to hunt after dark.

• Elongated, segmented body with alternating banded pattern in shades of tan, brown, orange, or yellow
• 21 or 23 pairs of legs depending on species and age, with the last pair often elongated and trailing
• Robust, flattened head bearing a pair of long antennae and forcipules (venom claws) beneath the head
• Adults commonly reach 8-15 cm in length
• Glossy, hardened exoskeleton compared to the softer look of house centipedes
• Distinguished from other Scolopendra species by its more subdued, banded coloring rather than solid or bright red-and-black patterning

Native to the arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States, including California, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico, extending into northern Mexico. It favors desert scrub, rocky outcrops, and sandy soils, sheltering under rocks, logs, or in burrows during the day and emerging at night, especially after rain or during cooler evening hours.

Tiger centipedes are active nocturnal hunters, preying on insects, spiders, scorpions, and other small invertebrates using speed and a venomous bite delivered through their forcipules. They are solitary and territorial, avoiding one another outside of mating encounters, and rely on burrows or natural crevices to escape the extreme daytime heat of their desert habitat. As mid-level predators, they help control insect and arachnid populations and are in turn preyed upon by owls, roadrunners, and other desert predators.

Females lay a clutch of eggs in a burrow or sheltered chamber and coil around them, guarding and grooming the eggs until they hatch, a behavior typical of the genus Scolopendra. Young centipedes hatch with the adult number of legs and segments and grow through a series of molts, remaining under maternal protection for a period after hatching. Maturity can take a year or more, and adults may live for several years in favorable desert conditions.