House centipede

Common indoors in damp, dark areas such as basements, bathrooms, crawl spaces, and wall voids; also occurs outdoors under debris and stones.

A fast-moving predator that eats spiders, cockroaches, silverfish, flies, moths, and other small arthropods.

Nocturnal and solitary, it hunts by speed and venomous forcipules. Females lay eggs in moist soil or sheltered cracks; it may persist indoors year-round.

Generally harmless to people and beneficial because it controls household pests. It may deliver a defensive bite if handled, but bites are uncommon and usually cause mild, localized pain.