Bug Identifier
House Centipede
Community identification

House Centipede

Scutigera coleoptrata

Order & Family
Order Scutigeromorpha, Family Scutigeridae
Size
25–35 mm (1 to 1.5 inches) long, with up to 15 pairs of long, banded legs.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Damp, dark areas like basements, bathrooms, crawl spaces, and under mulch or stones outdoors.

Diet & Feeding

Insectivorous; it actively hunts indoor pests such as spiders, bed bugs, termites, cockroaches, silverfish, and moths.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal, extremely fast runners capable of speeds up to 0.4 meters per second. They use their long antennae to sense prey and modified front legs (forcipules) to inject venom.

Risks & Benefits

Highly beneficial as they provide natural pest control. They are generally harmless to humans; while they possess venom for hunting, they are shy and rarely bite unless handled, with symptoms usually milder than a bee sting.