Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#8213
Giant Redheaded Centipede - Scolopendra heros

Giant Redheaded Centipede - Scolopendra heros
Eastern, Oklahoma, USA
September 12, 2003
Family: Scolopendra
Scolopendre heros
Size aprox. 20cm

Images of this individual: tag all
Giant Redheaded Centipede - Scolopendra heros Giant Redheaded Centipede - Scolopendra heros

I live in Fort Campbell Ky, a
I live in Fort Campbell Ky, and I just found one of these guys in my house. My dogs were playing with it, poor thing, so I brought him outside. I just went back outside to try to find him so I could take a picture, but he was gone. Hopefully he won't come back again!

Scolopendras Heros
If anyone has any interesting information about centipedes (particularly this one) please let me know. I am very curious about these fascinating creatures. Does anybody know how big these guys can get? I've heard maybe a foot or two. Is that true? And are they the largest species in the U.S? That's another thing I've heard and would like clarified. Thanks!

 
Reply
I live in eastern Oklahoma and just killed one of these outside. It seemed to come out of my garage onto the driveway. I had to get a shovel to kill it. It was at least a foot long. They're fast too!

Scolopendra heros
One of many color variants of Scolopendra heros Girard, 1853, the largest-bodied centipede in North America, growing up to 7 inches or so. It ranges from Kansas & southern Missouri to Louisiana, and westward through Texas & New Mexico/eastern Colorado to the Colorado River in Arizona. It ranges southward about 1/4 of the way into Mexico, and has not been authentically found west of the Colorado River in California.

 
Endangered?
Is this species endangered? Sightings are not common as far as I know. I would LOVE to capture a live specimen for a period of time (study). If there were a way to acquire a live specimen, I would appreciate notification via email.

 
Reply
I've been working on obtaining a specimen myself. If you search google enough you should be able to purchase one. I can't wait to get my habitat built.

Scolopendridae
See forestryimages.org for comparison photo. Where did you find the Scolopendra heros ID? Are there any good sites out there?

 
Giant Dessert Centipede
Here in Texas they go by the common name Giant Dessert Centipede. I live just north of Austin, in Cedar Park and have caught 4 of these in the past year, two in my house and two outside in my back yard. I've heard that they are very dangerous, very poisonous and that even each of their legs can prick you with a small amount of poison. It probably won't kill you, but I'm told that it will send you to the ER.

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.