House Centipede

Scutigera coleoptrata

The House Centipede is a fast little creature with many legs! They run around at night, helping to keep your home free of bugs.

Habitat: Homes and buildings

Appearance

The House Centipede has a yellowish-grey to brown body with three distinct dark stripes running down its back. It is visually striking due to its extremely long, delicate, and numerous legs that extend far beyond its flattened body, making it appear very spidery.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassChilopodaOrderScutigeromorphaFamilyScutigeridaeGenusScutigera

House Centipede

Interesting facts

Centipedes are not insects, but ancient relatives with many more legs!

House Centipedes can eat over 50 tiny bugs in just one night!

Their last pair of legs are extra-long and can trick predators into attacking the wrong end!

They meticulously clean their long antennae by pulling them through their mouthparts!

Special abilities

House Centipede can run up to 1.3 feet per second, ambushing prey because of its incredibly long, agile legs.

House Centipede has modified front legs that act as fangs, injecting venom to quickly paralyze prey for an easy meal.

House Centipede can detach a leg if caught by a predator, allowing it to escape while the leg twitches as a distraction.

House Centipede has super-long antennae covered in hairs that detect tiny air vibrations to find prey in total darkness.

Measurements & details

Size: 25-60 mm
Lifespan: 1095-2555 days
Leg Count: 30

Diet & Feeding

These quick hunters feast on common household pests using their venomous bite.

Primary Foods

spiders
cockroaches
silverfish
termites

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

Hunts

German Cockroach

Blattella germanica

Keeps household populations of this pest in check.

Hunts

Silverfish

Lepisma saccharina

Actively preys on these common household paper-eaters.

Hunts

Common House Spider

Tegenaria domestica

Often preys on spiders found in human dwellings.

Eaten by

Domestic Cat

Felis catus

Sometimes caught and eaten by curious house cats.

Traits

Wildlife

Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

Speedster

This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel.

Urban Friendly

This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

Nocturnal

Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.

Also known as

House ScutigeraScutigera

Collections

Insects Insects

Safety

Danger

2/5 · Low

Do not touch or pick up. Some insects sting or bite. Ask an adult for help.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify House Centipede?

Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

How big is House Centipede?

25-60 mm

How long does House Centipede live?

1095-2555 days

What does House Centipede eat?

These quick hunters feast on common household pests using their venomous bite.

Where is House Centipede usually found?

Homes and buildings

How does House Centipede hunt?

Pursuit

How many legs does House Centipede have?