Georgia’s warm, humid climate makes it home to several centipede species, from small soil-dwelling varieties to the fast-moving house centipede that startles homeowners in bathrooms and basements. Most are under 5 inches long, range from light yellow to dark reddish brown, and are far more interested in hunting insects than bothering people.
Species You’re Likely to Find
The most commonly encountered centipedes in Georgia fall into a few general groups. Soil centipedes and stone centipedes live outdoors under rocks, leaf litter, and rotting logs. They’re small, usually just an inch or two long, and you’ll rarely see them unless you’re turning over mulch or garden debris. Their coloring tends toward tan, reddish brown, or dark brown.
Larger bark centipedes and their relatives in the Scolopendra group are the ones that get people’s attention. These can reach 4 to 5 inches, have a flatter body with prominent legs, and are more boldly colored in reds and oranges. They’re fast, aggressive predators of insects and other invertebrates, and they have the strongest venom of any centipede you’ll encounter in the state. They live outdoors and typically stay there, hiding under stones, logs, and bark during the day and hunting at night.
Then there’s the house centipede, the one most Georgians actually see inside their homes. It looks nothing like the others. House centipedes have extremely long, delicate legs that fan out from a grayish-yellow body marked with dark stripes. They move shockingly fast across walls and floors, which is why they tend to alarm people. They’re also the only centipede species that can actually reproduce indoors, according to the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, which is why they can establish lasting populations inside a house rather than just wandering in occasionally.
Why Centipedes Show Up in Your Home
Centipedes need two things: moisture and prey. Georgia’s humidity, especially in the warmer months, creates ideal conditions both outdoors and in certain parts of a home. Basements, crawl spaces, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and areas around floor drains are prime territory. House centipedes hide in dark, damp spots during the day and come out at night to hunt.
Specific entry points and harborage spots include expansion cracks in concrete slabs, gaps around sump pump openings, uncapped cement blocks, spaces around pipes where they pass through walls, floor drains without water traps (especially those connected to dry sumps), cardboard boxes stored on concrete floors, and unexcavated crawl spaces beneath the house.
Here’s the important part: if you’re seeing house centipedes frequently, that usually signals a bigger pest problem. House centipedes feed on silverfish, carpet beetle larvae, cockroaches, spiders, and other small arthropods. A large centipede population means there’s a large prey population supporting it. Addressing the food source, often a moisture or sanitation issue, is more effective than targeting the centipedes alone.
Centipedes vs. Millipedes
Georgia is also home to plenty of millipedes, and the two get confused constantly. The differences are easy to spot once you know what to look for:
- Legs per body segment: Centipedes have one pair of legs per segment. Millipedes have two pairs per segment, giving them a denser, more “leggy” appearance up close.
- Body shape: Centipedes are flattened, built for speed. Millipedes are rounded and cylindrical, built for burrowing through soil and leaf litter.
- Movement: Centipedes are fast and dart away when disturbed. Millipedes move slowly and often curl into a tight spiral when threatened.
- Bite risk: Centipedes can bite (technically sting, using modified front legs called forcipules). Millipedes cannot bite but may secrete a mild irritant fluid from their body.
- Diet: Centipedes are predators that eat other bugs. Millipedes eat decaying plant matter.
Are Georgia Centipede Bites Dangerous?
All centipedes are venomous, but for the species found in Georgia, a bite is comparable to a bee sting for most people. You’ll feel a sharp, burning pain at the site, followed by redness and swelling that typically resolves within a few days without lasting effects. A small house centipede bite may cause only brief, mild pain and a red mark. In one documented case, a man stung on the neck by a house centipede experienced redness and pain but recovered quickly.
Bites from larger Scolopendra species are more painful. The venom causes a burning sensation that can spread up the affected limb from the finger or toe, and the pain can persist for several days or longer. Some people also experience headache, mild fever, dizziness, nausea, or a general feeling of being unwell. Limited range of motion and a “sprained” sensation in the affected limb have been reported with more significant bites.
The real concern is allergic reaction. Though uncommon, centipede venom can trigger anaphylaxis in sensitive individuals, similar to a severe bee sting reaction. There’s actually some overlap between centipede venom allergy and bee venom allergy. Warning signs include hives, swelling of the face, lips, or throat, difficulty breathing, wheezing, hoarseness, persistent dizziness, or collapse. These symptoms require emergency medical attention.
What to Do if You’re Bitten
For a typical bite, clean the area and apply a cold pack to reduce swelling. Over-the-counter pain relief can help with discomfort. The pain and swelling from most Georgia centipede bites resolve on their own within a few days. Watch for signs of infection (increasing redness, warmth, or pus) in the days following the bite, and keep an eye out for allergic symptoms, which typically appear within the first hour.
Pets can also get stung. Dogs that snap at or eat centipedes sometimes get stung inside the mouth, which causes sudden drooling. In most cases, dogs and cats recover without incident, though a trip to the vet is reasonable if symptoms seem severe or persistent.
Keeping Centipedes Out
Because centipedes follow moisture and prey, reducing both is the most effective strategy. Fix leaky pipes and faucets, especially in basements and crawl spaces. Use a dehumidifier in chronically damp areas. Make sure floor drains have functioning water traps. Seal cracks in foundation slabs, gaps around pipes, and openings in cement block walls.
Outside, reduce harborage near the foundation by moving mulch, leaf litter, firewood, and stones away from the house. Trim vegetation that holds moisture against exterior walls. Ensure gutters drain away from the foundation rather than saturating the soil beside it.
If you’re seeing centipedes regularly indoors, consider what they’re eating. An inspection for cockroaches, silverfish, or carpet beetles may reveal the real issue. Solving that underlying pest problem often causes the centipede population to drop on its own, since the food supply disappears. Sticky traps placed along baseboards in damp rooms can help you monitor both the centipedes and whatever prey species are present.