blue green centipede
Sat, Mar 28, 2009 at 5:22 PM
I caught this wonderfull little guy in El Dorado Hills California while on a job. I have had him/her for nearly a year and feed it tiny crickets. Just buying more when i notice no more crickets in the cage,
I think it is a giant centipede but have not been able to find one of similar color that should be living in this part of the world.
Ryan
El Dorado Hills, California, USA
Hi Ryan,
Though El Dorado Hills is several hundred miles north of Los Angeles, we believe your beautiful centipede is a Multicolored Centipede, Scolopendra polymorpha. Here is what Charles Hogue writes in Insects of the Los Angeles Basin: “This is a fairly large enctipede, attaining a maximum length of 3 to 4 inches (7 to 10 cm). It varies in color from clear or dark olive yellow to greenish brown; the rear borders of the back plates are mostly dark green. Practically nothing is known about its biology, other than that its general habitat is the same as for most centipedes – secluded places in contact with logs, rocks or the ground. The bite of this species may be painful. Although there are no data on the effects of its poison on humans, it is probably harmless. Contrary to popular belief, the sharp claws on the legs are not poisonous. although the last pair of legs is capable of pinching.” BugGuide reports this species from several western states and has numerous photos that look very much like your specimen.
Its amazing because i was watching a video on my bed .and i caught something colorful crawling from under it and there it was a multicolored centipede ! .i didnt know whether i should be shocked or scared because i dont know much about these insects .i dont even know its identification name ! all i know is its a centipede.so i put it in a small box and let it go faaaar away from my house ,because i am petrified of insects .
I saw a few similar back in the 60’s around La Sierra, CA but they were all more than 6″ long. One I found was out by Wood Crest near March AFB. I have seen at least one out near Giant rock that was well over 6″. All these were seen when I was a young guy.
Since then while serving in the jungles of SE Asia I saw some REALLY BIG ones that were mostly black. Having a camera back then was not the most important piece of gear I was toting.
I hope more of you will have the chance to see some of these amazing and scary critters!
Rusty Rossey
Thanks so much for your observations.
We just found one in our home near san diego.. They must be migrating
I know this was a while ago. But I just found this in my laundry. I’m from Sydney Australia.
We found one in our bathroom here in Las Vegas. He’s only about 1 1/2 inches long but definitely freeked out my kids!
Oh wow. I just killed a multicolored green. Centipede. Sorry but it crawled out of my apt onto the patio where i was. So creepy. I panicked. I hope there isnt more here. Sorry i know they r rare.
I was hiking the Jump Creek canyon south of Marsing, Idaho this last Tuesday (4/23/15) and encountered one of these after rolling a rather large rock. I tried to get a picture of it but withdrew into the grass. It was approximately two inches in length and a very bright blue/green. I’m a native Idahoan and haven’t seen one of these before. Is this unusual for Idaho? Thanks.
According to BugGuide, the Multicolored Centipede is found in Idaho.
G’day we have those centipedes in Tasmania, Australia found one today in a load of wood. Be careful not to get stung/bitten they are poisonous and the pain can last from a few hours to several days. But rarely fatal to humans.
Just found one of these multicolored centipedes in my kitchen on the counter !!!
I’m in Gardnerville, NV… never seen one before!
I was just playing with my new puppy in the livingroom and it moved the towel it was laying on and it crawled from under it and she sat on it before I could stop her if it bite her will she be ok WE ALSO live in Rogersville, Alabama
MIne was also about 5″-6″ long about half the size of my hand!
I live I Wildomar Ca. I just captured on of these guys! I found him hanging out on a wall in my closet. Not the greatest thing to find late at night! We tried to get him but he ended up hiding in some sheets we had folded in there. Put everything in a trash bag and went looking for him in the am. I don’t know if it was my imagination or what, but I swear the thing hissed at me when I started shaking the sheet he was hiding in. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen one of these. And I’d be happy if it were the last….
I live in South East Georgia about 70 miles west of Tybee Island. About 2:30am one came crawling up from the back of the couch and im sorry to say that i killed the crap out of it. I was bitten/stung/pinched about a two years ago while sleeping and yet again it was in the early morning hours. Im here to tell you, IT HURTS! I brushed and swatted at that time and only caught a glimps and searched endlessly for hours with no result and couldn’t sleep comfortably for several nights for the fear of its return. Trust me, i know it sounds pretty crazy to be a 35 year old grown man and get that freaked out by a bug or insect but when the bite/sting/pinch when they’re not being bothered and came into my house and into my bed to do so thats where i draw the line on extermination. Im a lover of all God’s creations but they need to stay out of my safe zone. The one tonight was blue/green with what seems to be some sort of antennas on its head and something that looks very similar on its rear which im sure is a protection decoy to confuse predators on whats the head and whats the tail. Either way… they should head in another direction because they make me act like a scared little girl when they all of a sudden creep up on me. Thanks for all the great info on your site and sorry for the extermination but it was a necessary and humain kill.
My mother got bite by this long insect in year 2010 around….she said that it is realy really really hurt…she’s already experience got bite by a snake 20 years ago…we are from malaysia…it is normal to see red long centipete around my village especially during rainy season…but this kind of centipete is weird
I live in southern Arizona and have found dozens of these Blue and multicolored centipedes. Beautiful color & very eye pleasing. They’re probably my favorite next to the Banded Heros!
I’m also curious to know their identity. Been calling them Aquapedes for now.
its a dang viridis, figure it out already!
my husband found one in his mothers garden on the south coast of new south wales australia
I just found a dead one in my kids’ playroom. The legs are a bright blue/green. About 1.5″ long. I wouldn’t want to see a bigger one! We are in Mesa, AZ.
I found 2 in less than a year. I live in Las Vegas! They must be migrating!!!! Noooooo because I hate them so much. My biggest fear
I live in Southern AZ, and find several in my yard every year. I protect them because centipedes are a good good bug! Maybe some find them scary but you can’t judge a book by its cover. :D. I enjoy watching them.
Awesome. That is wonderful to hear.
Just found the first one in our house. We have found three others outdoors. The others have all come out from under rocks. We love next to Flat iron mountain in the Superstitions easy of Phoenix.