Frequently Asked Questions About Insects - Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University

Frequently Asked Questions

Topic:	Centipedes
Question:	I live in Austin and recently found a centipede. It is about six inches long and has about 42 feet on each side. It differs from the picture in your book, A Field Guide to Common Texas Insects, in that the body is black, the legs and ends of the stingers are yellow. The head is reddish brown. The body is roughly 1/4-inch wide, the lege are 3/4-inch long. It seems bigger than any descriptions of North American centipedes I could find on the Web. Because I found it inside my house, I would appreciate any information you have on whether this creature was travelling alone or might have a family inside the walls of my house. Anything you can tell me would be great. Thanks.
Answer:	Large centipedes in the genus Scolopendra are fairly common in the Hill Country. Occasionally, they are found throughout the rest of the state. These centipedes are predators and scavengers on insects and other organisms. They can be hazardous because of the powerful pinch they can inflict with their jaws and legs. They also emit a toxin that is can be dribbled into an open wound. It would be painful but is not considered fatal. Best to avoid them.
Related Link:	http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/l-1747.html
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Response by:	John A. Jackman
Title:	Professor and Extension Specialist
** Most of the Related Links above also contain images.