House centipede

Homes and other sheltered, humid places, especially basements, bathrooms, and areas beneath appliances or furniture. They hide in cracks during the day and roam at night.

A beneficial predator of insects and other arthropods, including cockroaches, spiders, silverfish, flies, and moths. It captures prey with modified venom-bearing front legs.

Fast-moving, nocturnal, and solitary; it seeks darkness and moisture and may suddenly dart when disturbed. Females lay eggs in damp soil or sheltered crevices, and the species undergoes gradual development.

Generally harmless to people and not destructive to property; bites are rare and usually cause only localized pain or swelling. It helps control household pests, though its appearance can be alarming.