Tiger centipede
Venomous · Scolopendra polymorpha
Painful, rarely seriousUsually like a bee or wasp sting
Bites are painful but rarely serious.
- Lives in
- 9 states
- Size
- 4–7 in
- Open US records
- 697
- Group
- Large centipede
How to identify it
- Tan to orange body with dark bands on each segment
- 21 pairs of legs
- Fast, hides under rocks by day
Size: 4–7 in (length). Habitat: Deserts and dry grassland of the West.
Also called common desert centipede.
Where it lives
- Lives here
- Rare records
- Gone
- Not here
When it is out
Look-alikes
State by state
| State | Status | Open records | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Lives here | 402 | 31 |
| Arizona | Lives here | 158 | 12 |
| New Mexico | Lives here | 44 | 14 |
| Texas | Lives here | 23 | 10 |
| Nevada | Lives here | 17 | 4 |
| Kansas | Lives here | 15 | 7 |
| Colorado | Lives here | 11 | 4 |
| Utah | Lives here | 7 | 3 |
| Nebraska | Lives here | 5 | 3 |
| Oklahoma | Rare records | 8 | 1 |
| Idaho | Rare records | 3 | 2 |
| Indiana | Rare records | 1 | 0 |
| Missouri | Rare records | 1 | 0 |
| Oregon | Rare records | 1 | 1 |
| South Dakota | Rare records | 1 | 1 |
States not listed have no open records and are outside the range.
Questions
Where does the tiger centipede live?
In 9 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah. Rare records also come from Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon and South Dakota.
Is the tiger centipede dangerous?
Painful, rarely serious. Bites are painful but rarely serious.
How do you identify a tiger centipede?
Tan to orange body with dark bands on each segment. 21 pairs of legs. Fast, hides under rocks by day.
When is the tiger centipede most active?
Most open US records fall in February to May, August.