Are Centipedes Dangerous? House Centipedes vs Giant Centipedes
Most centipedes are not dangerous to people: the house centipede rarely bites, and when it does the effect is usually compared to a bee or wasp sting. The exception in the US is the giant redheaded centipede, Scolopendra heros, of Texas, Oklahoma and the desert Southwest, which can grow past 8 inches and gives a bite that is intensely painful and, rarely, causes serious complications. Clemson Extension states that the bites of centipedes found in the United States are not toxic enough to be deadly to adults or children. Pets usually come off with pain and swelling, but a small dog bitten by a large centipede needs a vet.
A striped, long-legged house centipede in a Pennsylvania bathroom is a very different animal from a finger-thick orange and black centipede under a flowerpot in central Texas. This guide separates the two, sets out what the medical case literature reports, and shows where each turns up in our analysis of iNaturalist records.
How dangerous is each kind of centipede?
| Centipede | Where in the US | Body length | Bite risk to people | Indoors? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) | Nationwide, commonest in the East and Midwest | 1 to 1.5 in (25 to 38 mm); 3 to 4 in with legs | Rare; usually only when handled or pressed against skin. Bee sting level | Yes, the only centipede that breeds indoors |
| Stone centipedes (Lithobiomorpha) | Nationwide, outdoors under mulch, bark, stones | Up to 1.75 in (about 44 mm) | Harmless to people (University of Minnesota) | Strays in, does not breed indoors |
| Soil centipedes (Geophilomorpha) | Nationwide, in soil and leaf litter | Slender and many legged | Jaws of small centipedes are generally too weak to penetrate skin (Clemson) | Occasional stray |
| Giant redheaded or giant desert centipede (Scolopendra heros) | Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, Arkansas, Kansas | Often 6 in; up to 8.5 in (Arizona) or over 9 in (Texas A&M) | Intensely painful; local swelling for hours to days; rare severe complications | Occasionally wanders in; lives outdoors |
| Other Scolopendra kept as pets (for example the Vietnamese centipede) | Pet trade; Hawaii and Pacific islands | Up to about 20 cm (8 in) | The genus behind the centipede’s dangerous reputation | Only as escapees |
The pattern in that table is the whole story. Of an estimated 3,500 centipede species, America’s Poison Centers puts only about 15 in the category thought to pose a danger to humans, and the bad reputation belongs to one genus, Scolopendra. For identification of the house centipede itself, its legs and its life cycle, see our full guide to house centipedes; this article stays on the question of harm.
Are house centipedes dangerous?
No, not in any practical sense. Penn State and Iowa State Extension call them harmless, and Wisconsin says bites rarely happen and are not dangerous. Mississippi State adds when bites happen at all: they are uncommon unless the centipede is handled or accidentally pressed against the skin.
Clemson explains why so few bites register: the jaws of smaller centipedes are too weak to penetrate human skin, and where a bite does land it is comparable to a wasp sting, somewhat painful but generally harmless unless the person is very allergic to venoms. America’s Poison Centers records a 47-year-old man bitten on the neck by a small house centipede: red and painful, and he recovered rapidly.
House centipedes do not carry disease or damage belongings. What they signal is damp and a supply of prey such as silverfish, spiders and cockroaches. If you find them often, the useful response is the one in our guides to bugs in the basement and bugs in the bathroom: find the moisture and the food, and the centipedes follow them out.
The giant redheaded centipede: the one to respect
Scolopendra heros, also called the Texas redheaded or giant desert centipede, is described by University of Arizona Extension as often 6 inches long and able to reach 8.5 inches, usually reddish yellow with darker bluish black bands where the body segments join and a red-orange head. Texas A&M AgriLife puts the largest at over 9 inches.
Arizona Extension says it is not vicious unless harassed, and that stories of centipedes attacking usually describe one escaping under a shoe or up a trouser leg. Its fangs, though, are sharp enough that they could potentially penetrate leather gloves, so handling it is a mistake. Texas A&M adds that Scolopendra can make tiny cuts with the claws on its walking legs, into which a secretion from the leg bases can drop and cause inflammation.
Our analysis of iNaturalist research-grade records shows where people meet it. Per 10,000 observations of anything in each state, Oklahoma leads at 5.34, then Arizona at 3.70 and Texas at 3.13, with Arkansas, New Mexico and Kansas behind. Texas has by far the most raw records, 3,468. Further east it barely appears. If you are in Texas, our guide to common house bugs in Texas covers what else turns up indoors there.
What a giant centipede bite does
America’s Poison Centers describes Scolopendra venom as causing burning pain that can spread up a limb from a finger or toe and last from a few hours to several days, with redness, swelling and bruising at the site. The University of Arizona compares the seriousness to a bee sting, with an added risk of secondary infection.
The case literature on S. heros itself is short and, by its nature, about unusual cases:
- Arizona, 1985. Logan and Ogden, in the Western Journal of Medicine, reported rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure needing temporary dialysis in a 44-year-old woman bitten on the foot in her eastern Arizona home.
- Texas, 2017. Emergency physicians at Texas A&M and Baylor Scott and White in Temple described lymphangitis and dermatitis in an elderly man after a sting that woke him from sleep, noting possible complications including cellulitis, necrosis and rhabdomyolysis.
- Pet keepers. America’s Poison Centers records a 21-year-old who kept an S. heros as a pet and was bitten twice on the hand: severe waves of pain within the hour, red swollen punctures, and full recovery in under a day.
Those reports show what is possible, not what is typical. Anyone bitten by a large centipede should call Poison Control on 1-800-222-1222 or a doctor, and seek urgent care at once for hives, throat or mouth swelling, dizziness or trouble breathing, which America’s Poison Centers lists as signs of an allergic reaction.
What the medical case series show
Most pages on this question say bites are mild, or that they can kill, without a number. Three case series on Scolopendra and close relatives give the proportions:
| Study | Cases | What was found |
|---|---|---|
| Balit and others, NSW Poisons Information Centre, Australia, 2000 to 2002 (prospective, expert identified) | 44 definite bites | Pain in all identified cases, severe in 7 of 14; no systemic effects reported; 57% of bites indoors and 50% at night |
| Knysak and others, Instituto Butantan, Greater Sao Paulo, 1980 to 1989 | 216 accidents | Benign course in 54% needed no treatment; only Scolopendra and Otostigmus bites needed medication |
| Cathala and others, University Hospital of Guadeloupe, 2015 to 2021 (emergency department) | 377 patients | 11.4% hospitalised, 5.6% had surgery; hospitalised patients were older and more often diabetic |
The Guadeloupe conclusion is the one to remember: bites are generally benign and managed as outpatients, but older patients and people with diabetes or other conditions develop the complications. In that series 53% of patients were under 18, yet the hospitalised group averaged 40.5 years old against 12.5 for those sent home.
Can a centipede bite cause death?
Almost never, and not from a US species on any documented record we found. The 2014 Hawaii review states there is just one well-authenticated fatality: a seven-year-old girl in the Philippines who died after a bite to the head from Scolopendra subspinipes, reported in 1932. America’s Poison Centers says deaths are very rare and have occurred mainly in tropical areas outside the US. Where serious harm does happen, the review attributes it to secondary infection or anaphylaxis rather than the venom alone.
Why the bite hurts so much: the venom, briefly
Centipedes do not bite with jaws. The first pair of legs is modified into hollow claws called forcipules, connected to venom glands. The Hawaii review lists Scolopendra venom as a complex mix including phospholipase A2, serotonin and acidic proteins. In 2015 a team publishing in Nature Communications isolated a 27-amino-acid peptide, RhTx, from the Chinese red-headed centipede that switches on TRPV1, the same heat and pain receptor activated by chilli capsaicin, producing what the authors call excruciating pain.
Are centipedes dangerous to dogs and cats?
Usually not seriously, though the veterinary evidence is thin. In the poison centre neck bite case, the man’s cat ate the dead house centipede and had no symptoms. Arizona Extension states that outdoors, centipedes will not intentionally harm pets; they are looking for food and shelter.
Size is what changes the picture. A 2026 veterinary case report in Frontiers in Veterinary Science described a 2 kg Chihuahua stung on the forepaw that developed lameness, red urine and signs of systemic illness, and needed a week in hospital. If a dog or cat is bitten by a big centipede, or shows facial swelling, limping that worsens, dark urine, vomiting or lethargy, call your vet. Our guide to pest control around pets and children covers pesticide safety if you also treat the house.
Is a millipede more poisonous than a centipede?
Neither is poisonous in the way people mean. Centipedes are venomous: they inject venom through the forcipules. Millipedes have no venom; Texas A&M notes they are not poisonous but produce a smelly fluid that can irritate, especially if rubbed in the eyes. Our millipedes in the house guide has the ten-second test for telling them apart.
When are centipedes most active?
Our seasonality index adjusts for how many people are out recording nature each month (100 is the yearly average). Giant redheaded centipede records peak twice, in April and May (index 133 and 132) and again in September and October (169 and 170), and drop to about a third of average or less in December and January. House centipede records climb to 168 in October and November, probably because they are noticed indoors as outdoor life thins out. Stone and soil centipedes peak from January to March. These are records of where and when people photographed them, mostly outdoors, not counts of bites or infestations.
House centipede records run the other way across the map from the giant species. Pennsylvania leads at 6.22 records per 10,000 observations, followed by Rhode Island, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New York; Texas sits at just 0.30.
Why should you never squish a centipede in your house?
There is no safety rule against it, but three practical reasons not to bother. Never do it bare handed: pressing a centipede against skin is exactly when Mississippi State says bites happen, and the man in the poison centre case had just smashed one by hand. It does nothing to the population, because the centipede indicates damp and prey. And it is eating the silverfish and spiders you would rather not have; see what attracts silverfish. Clemson notes a broom or vacuum removes them easily.
What to do, and when to call a professional
- Do not handle large centipedes. Arizona Extension suggests kitchen tongs or heavy gloves and a covered jar to move one outdoors.
- Turn on a light before reaching into dark, damp spaces at night, and wear gloves moving firewood or stones.
- Shake out shoes, clothing and bedding left on the floor in Scolopendra country; the Hawaii review names these as common meeting places between people and large centipedes.
- Fix the damp. Penn State lists dehumidifiers, sealing slab and block wall cracks, screening floor drains and regrading soil away from the foundation.
- Reduce the prey. Clemson notes pesticides give only temporary control unless shelter and moisture are dealt with. If you use any product, follow the label.
- Call a licensed professional if large centipedes keep appearing inside in Texas or the Southwest, or if the prey behind a house centipede problem turns out to be cockroaches.
Frequently asked questions
Are house centipedes dangerous?
No. Extension services at Penn State, Iowa State, Wisconsin and Mississippi State all describe house centipedes as harmless to people. They can technically bite, but rarely do unless handled or pressed against skin, and Clemson compares a bite that does land to a wasp sting. They do not carry disease or damage the house. Frequent sightings point to damp conditions and other insects for them to eat.
Is it safe to sleep with a house centipede in your room?
Yes, for practical purposes. House centipedes hunt insects at night and have no interest in people; bites are uncommon and happen mainly when one is trapped against skin. The caution is regional: in Texas and the Southwest, a giant redheaded centipede in bedding is a different matter, and a 2017 Texas case report described a sting that woke a man from sleep. Shake out bedding and keep it off the floor there.
Why should you never squish a centipede in your house?
There is no rule that you must not, but squishing one by hand risks the only kind of contact that produces bites, and it does not reduce the population. House centipedes eat silverfish, spiders and cockroaches, so one in the bathroom usually means damp and prey nearby. Removing it with a jar, broom or vacuum, then fixing moisture, does more than killing it.
Should I be worried if I see a centipede?
Usually not. A small, striped, long-legged centipede is almost certainly a harmless house centipede. Repeated sightings are worth acting on for the moisture and insects they indicate. The one to treat with care is a large, thick-bodied orange or banded centipede in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona or New Mexico, which is likely Scolopendra heros: do not pick it up, and see a doctor if bitten.
Can a centipede bite kill you?
It is extraordinarily rare. A 2014 medical review found only one well-authenticated death, a child in the Philippines in 1932 bitten on the head by a tropical Scolopendra. Clemson Extension states that the bites of centipedes found in the United States are not toxic enough to be deadly to adults or children. Serious complications, when they occur, usually involve infection or an allergic reaction, so seek care for those signs.
Sources
- Penn State Extension, House Centipedes (Jacobs; reviewed Skvarla), updated January 2026.
- Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home and Garden Information Center, Centipedes factsheet.
- Mississippi State University Extension, Bug’s Eye View: House Centipede, no. 29, 2015.
- Iowa State University Extension, Yard and Garden Encyclopedia: House Centipede.
- University of Wisconsin Garden Facts XHT1113, Centipedes (Pellitteri).
- University of Minnesota Extension, What insect is this? Stone centipedes; House centipede (Hahn).
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, ENTO-PU-020, Centipedes and Millipedes (Brown), 2009.
- University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County, Backyard Gardener #53: Centipedes (Schalau), 2023.
- America’s Poison Centers / National Capital Poison Center, Centipede bites: How harmful are they?
- Fenderson JL. Centipede envenomation: bringing the pain to Hawai’i and Pacific Islands. Hawaii J Med Public Health, 2014.
- Logan JL, Ogden DA. Rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure following the bite of the giant desert centipede Scolopendra heros. West J Med, 1985.
- Essler SE, Julakanti M, Juergens AL. Lymphangitis from Scolopendra heros envenomation: the Texas redheaded centipede. Wilderness Environ Med, 2017.
- Balit CR and others. Prospective study of centipede bites in Australia. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol, 2004.
- Knysak I and others. Epidemiological aspects of centipede bites registered in greater S. Paulo, Brazil. Rev Saude Publica, 1998.
- Cathala L and others. A retrospective study of centipede bites in Guadeloupe, West Indies. Clin Toxicol, 2026.
- Lin TJ and others. Features of centipede bites in Taiwan. Trop Geogr Med, 1995.
- Yang S and others. A pain-inducing centipede toxin targets the heat activation machinery of nociceptor TRPV1. Nat Commun, 2015.
- Tang W and others. Therapeutic plasma exchange for systemic centipede envenomation in a 2-kg Chihuahua dog. Front Vet Sci, 2026.
- The Pest Control Brief analysis of iNaturalist research-grade records, pulled October 2026.
