Centipedes

Centipedes belong to the insect class of Chilopoda and there are some 3,150 represented throughout the world. The class is further broken down into four orders identified as Scutigeromorpha, Scolopendromorpha, Lithobiomorpha and Geophilomorpha, each differed by varying leg segments and total number of legs. While the word "centipede" itself (spawned from the Latin) translates to "100 feet", Centipedes generally to not follow this fixed total in terms of total number of legs. As such, Centipedes can be found with as little as 30 legs or as many as 100. The most common residential North American species is the House Centipede which can grow to be over an inch in length. Other species can exceed six inches.

A Centipede is characterized by its many-legged body segments that is capped a simple head at the front holding the antenna. What gives them their imposing appearance are the long legs attached to the sides of the body segments, keeping the body of the Centipede very low to the ground. This allows the Centipede to move with amazing speeds and enter into tight confines as needed. The final pair of legs is noticeably longer than the rest and can be mistaken for rear antenna. However, these legs are not used in walking and serve as pincer-type appendages for when containing prey.

The diet of the Centipede is highly varied and ranges from small insects (moths, cockroaches) to larger mammals (rodents, birds) depending on the species. Likewise, Centipedes are also the prey of choice for mammals hunting for a good-sized meal. Specialized forward legs on the Centipedes body, known as prehensors, secret venom to the claws to help the Centipede subdue potential prey while the rear leg appendages hold the prey in place. Centipedes are attracted to dark areas and therefore are most active in nighttime hours or moist dark places. This is why one may find them common to residential basements and crawlspaces or even near bathtub drains and under rocks. Centipedes can deliver a bite if provoked but generally run away from humans in defense.

There are 2 Centipedes in the Insect Identification database.
Those listed below are showcased in alphabetical order.