Scutigeromorpha

The house centipede is a fast-moving myriapod that you may sometimes find indoors. Myriapods are wingless land-dwelling arthropods with long, segmented bodies and an impressive number of legs.

Despite their size, there’s no need to worry if you spot a house centipede. They pose no health risk to people or pets, and they don’t cause any damage to your home.

The house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) belongs to the class Chilopoda, which includes about 3,500 known species. Centipedes are characterized by having one pair of legs per body segment.

Its body can reach up to 4 cm in length. The head bears a pair of antennae, often longer than the body, which act as sensory detectors, helping it pick up vibrations and scents.

The hind legs are longer than the legs closer to the head. This arrangement likely helps centipedes move quickly, since the rear legs can swing without getting in the way of the front ones.

The last pair of legs carries sensory structures and is not used for walking. Instead, it functions a bit like a second pair of antennae at the other end of the body.