These have always been one of my favorite critters. I grew up in Killeen in central Texas, north of Austin. As a child we always called these "Devil's Head Centipedes." I haven't found any websites that link that name to this species, though, so it may just be a local nickname for them.

I remember finding these quite frequently on camping trips with the Boy Scouts, especially at Camp Tahuya and at the campgrounds on West Ft. Hood. They were usually in the kinds of places you would expect - under logs, rocks, etc. and usually in the shade rather than direct sunlight. Pretty much the same places you find the insects they eat.

Of course, being children, we often did things that are rather inadvisable. We would catch these beasties, usually with sticks and/or by herding them into large glass jars. We would then put some other less than cuddly creature in with them and see what would happen. I remember one gladiatorial match where the centipede won against two large scorpions. Like I said, inadvisable, but definitely something that would make it into a nature documentary if it were caught on film in the wild.

Most of the information I've been able to find on these says they are about 7 to 10 inches long. That seems consistent with the average of what I remember. I also remember a couple of large specimens that topped 12 inches, though that could just be because I was smaller then and they are larger in my memory.

Growing up with these things around, I didn't realize that they were anything less than common. I understand now how little information is actually out there about them and how few people have actually encountered them.

I hope this is at least partially interesting to those looking for information on the "Giant Redheaded Centipede," but if you don't mind, I think I'll keep with "Devil's Head Centipede." It just seems like a more poetic and appropriate name for such an interesting and beautiful creature.

Thanks for the correct name, and great photos! What memory it brings back. As a boy in Arkansas(early '50s), working with my grandfather, we disturbed one while moving soil. It was huge, 8-10" in length, and very fast! The group of men claimed that it as "biggest'un we've ever seen... be worse than a snake bite!"

I stopped trying to tell the story at school...an early lesson on how blind to truth people can be unless they see something for themselves.

You have a great web site! I found it while trying to identify a small brown bug that recently appeared in the house. It does not look like a bedbug, but is very small, oval in shape, with light and dark brownish horizontal pattern on body, and at least one appears to have a broad "fan" type tail, and is about one-eighth of an inch or so in length. They are slow, and are motionless under light.

If I can get a close-up photo of one, perhaps someone would be kind enough to help identify it.

I'll recommend your website to my niece, who is a science teacher in Midlothian TX. I think her students would really enjoy your photos and descriptions.

John Saurenman
Desoto TX

Same color variant of S. heros as in the Oklahoma photos. It is 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.

Talked to a guy today who paid $25 for one of those.

Scolopendra heros "castaneiceps".
And a beautiful one at that!

I don't know much about them, but what I do know is I have seen them in Nacogdoches, Marble Falls, and near Conroe, all in Texas, and near Carlsbad, NM.

Kari J McWest, Canyon, Texas

Scolopendromorpha. 21 pairs of legs. I also linked your images since they are the same specimen. Great shots!