Stone centipede

Natural Habitat

Damp environments like leaf litter, under stones, bark, or logs, and in soil.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivorous predator; eats insects like spiders, springtails, and flies, using venomous pincers (forcipules) to paralyze prey.

Behavior Patterns

Fast-moving, nocturnal hunter. They are long-lived (up to 5-6 years) and go through several molts during their lifecycle.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits: Useful for pest control as they eat garden pests. Risks: Though they have venom, they are generally shy and unlikely to bite humans unless handled; if bitten, it is usually no worse than a bee sting.

Identified on: 4/29/2026