
Community identification
House centipede (likely)
Scutigera coleoptrata
- Order & Family
- Order Scutigeromorpha; family Scutigeridae
- Size
- Adults are typically 25–35 mm (1–1.4 in) long, excluding their exceptionally long legs.
Natural Habitat
Damp, sheltered places such as basements, bathrooms, crawl spaces, and under debris; commonly found indoors.
Diet & Feeding
A predatory carnivore that eats flies, cockroaches, silverfish, spiders, and other small arthropods.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal, fast-running, and moisture-seeking; it hides in cracks by day and hunts at night. Females lay eggs in moist soil, and juveniles develop through several molts.
Risks & Benefits
Generally beneficial because it controls household pests and rarely bites people. Bites are uncommon and usually cause localized pain, redness, or swelling.