#4918 · 🪼 jellyfish, starfish, worms & co
House Centipede
🇳🇱 Spinduizendpoot ·Scutigera coleoptrata
📍 76227 Karlsruhe, Deutschland
📍 9545 João Bom, Portugal
📍 63065 Offenbach am Main, Deutschland
📍 Williams College, Williamstown, MA, US
📍 Loire, Rhône-Alpes, France
10 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences
- 1. © Марина Горбунова-Ëлкина · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 2. © Kyle Elshoff · CC BY 4.0
- 3. © Tony Iwane · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 4. © Cecile Roux · CC BY-SA 4.0
- 5. © Kyle Elshoff · CC BY 4.0
- 6. 76227 Karlsruhe, Deutschland:© olafz · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 7. 9545 João Bom, Portugal:© Martin Grimm · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 8. 63065 Offenbach am Main, Deutschland:© no rights reserved · CC0
- 9. Williams College, Williamstown, MA, US:© paxendra98 · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 10. Loire, Rhône-Alpes, France:© Pascal Dubois · CC BY-NC 4.0
what is it?
Scutigera coleoptrata , also known as the house centipede , is a species of centipede that is typically yellowish-gray and has up to 15 pairs of long legs. Originating in the Mediterranean region, it has spread to other parts of the world, where it frequently lives in and around human homes. It is an insectivore, preying on insects and arachnids by envenomating them. Their mild venom and small organs of envenomation render the species nearly incapable of harming...
base stats
Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).
fun facts
- Spotted 11 times in the Netherlands on iNaturalist.
- 48,909 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
- Scientifically named in 1758 (268 years ago).
fact sheet
- English
- House Centipede
- Nederlands
- Spinduizendpoot
- scientific name
- Scutigera coleoptrata
- class
- Chilopoda
- order
- Scutigeromorpha
- family
- Scutigeridae
- sightings in NL
- 11
- sightings in Europe
- 16,119
- sightings worldwide
- 48,909
- GBIF records in NL
- 271
- weight
- —
- length
- —
- lifespan
- —
- named
- 1758
Sources: iNaturalist taxon 49552, Wikidata Q367643, GBIF 5179027, Wikipedia (EN), Wikipedia (NL). Intro text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.