Things that attracts centipedes are moisture and dampness as well as dark environments and also places that have insects.
Centipedes feed on arthropods, newborn mice, small snakes, roaches, insects and small amphibians.
The red centipede is called a Scolopendra hero which is also commonly known as an Arizona desert centipede, giant redheaded centipede, Texas redheaded centipede, Texas black tailed centipede or giant Sonoran centipede.
A red headed centipede will have a black body and legs that are bright yellow in color with the head and first body segment of the red headed centipede being rusty red in color.
Red headed centipedes are usually flattened and have 21 pairs of legs which point backward like a pair of tails and only one pair of legs per leg bearing segment.
Red headed centipedes are very poisonous and venomous although if they bite humans the bites from red headed centipedes are not deadly and are usually mild.
When a person gets stung by a redheaded centipede they usually experience sharp and painful stings that can sometimes also cause swelling.
Redhead centipedes live mostly in Missouri's southernmost counties and the red headed centipede can also be found in Texas.
The predators of red headed centipedes are large birds, opossums, kinkajou, coati, shrews, toads, badgers, domestic chickens and arthropod hunting mammals.
The largest centipede in the United States is the giant red headed centipede which is nocturnal and is native to Texas.
The giant red headed centipede can reach up to 8 inches in length.
If a centipede crawls on you remain calm and try using something or your fingers to flick the centipede off you or shake it off if possible.
Once the centipede is off of you then use soap and water to wash the exposed skin and take an over the counter medicine for any pain such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Also using warm water can help reduce pain and swelling from a centipede bite.
To keep centipedes out of a bed you can use peppermint oil or tea tree oil added to a spray bottle with some water.
You can spray the tea tree oil or peppermint oil around door frames, your bed, small cracks, basement doors windows etc to keep centipedes away.
Also keep any blankets or sheets off the floor and nightstands or other furniture several inches away from your bed which can help keep them from climbing on your bed so easily.
If you see centipedes in your home you should try to kill them or get them outside and kill them so they don't come back.
A centipede will sometimes crawl on you while you're sleeping but they don't crawl on people with intentions to sting or bite.
The centipede usually wants to avoid humans and will do their best to stay away from humans while they seek their way out.
When you sleep you produce body heat which also attracts the centipede.
Sleeping with a centipede in your room is safe as long as the centipede does not get into your bed and crawl on you.
If you have centipedes in your room you should try to get the centipedes out of your room or kill them.
A centipede will crawl on you at night if it gets into your bed so it's best to get the centipedes out of your house and bedroom when you have them.
Centipedes can bite you in your sleep or anytime else by using their hollow legs that are adapted with claws to bite into the skin.
The pincer like maxillipeds are also known as toxicognaths or poison claws that are found under the first body segment and can cause small puncture wounds and blisters when the centipede crawls across your skin.
Things that attract centipedes are food sources and cool, dark and damp places that are rarely disturbed.
Most species of centipedes prefer living outdoors and some centipedes such as house centipedes are more comfortable living in both outdoor and indoor locations.
Centipedes can enter your house by crawling through drains and sump pumps or come inside with things that you bring inside which were stored outside or sometimes the centipede will craw in through small cracks and crevices of the house or holes.
Centipedes are bigger than a millipede as millipedes are tiny when compared to centipedes as millipedes reach lengths of up to 10 inches while centipedes can reach lengths of up to 12 inches and sometimes a bit longer.
Giant centipede bites usually cause a burning and stinging feeling of pain and there will usually be redness and swelling.
Giant house centipedes are not poisonous although when they bite they can cause severe pain and swelling.
A giant centipede bite will feel like a burning sensation and be very painful for awhile.
You may also experience redness, swelling and itching after the giant centipede bite.
Centipedes are not poisonous to humans although the centipede bite is painful and can cause redness and swelling.
Centipede bites do sometimes itch as well as may be red and swollen.
If a centipede bites you the bite will be painful and there may be redness and swelling for a few days or so.
However the venom from a centipede including the giant centipede is not poisonous to humans so you should be okay and nothing should happen.
Giant centipedes are not poisonous to humans although giant centipedes can bite and the bite from a giant centipede is really painful.
Some people may have an allergic reaction to the giant centipede bite although the venom of a giant centipede or other centipede is not poisonous to humans.
Centipedes are scared of humans, large animals, light and also avoid peppermint oil, rosemary oil, close oil, thyme oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil and tea tree oil.
Centipedes do not like being pet or handled and if you keep a centipede as a pet they are only good for visual pets and being enjoyed by looking at them.
Giant centipedes and regular centipedes can be friendly if left alone or you don't seem a threat to them but centipedes can also be very aggressive and bite readily if they see you as a threat.
Giant centipede venom causes rapid paralysis in cockroaches, lizards or any other animal that gets bit by the giant centipede.
Giant centipedes are somewhat aggressive which means the giant centipede will bite a perceived threat readily.
Symptoms of a giant centipede bite are swelling, redness, inflammation and intense pain.
Big centipedes and giant centipedes eat Silverfish, Bed bugs, Earthworms, Crickets, Moths, Cockroaches, Spiders and even other centipedes.
A giant centipede can get as big as 12 inches or 1 foot in length and some giant centipedes may get a bit bigger.
Giant Centipedes live on average of 10 years and can grow as long as 12 inches of 1 foot long.
The Arthropleura centipedes are no longer alive as they have gone extinct.
Arthropleura (meaning “jointed ribs”) was a giant, centipede-like arthropod from the Carboniferous period 320 to 299 million years ago, and was the largest known land arthropod ever.
The Arthropleura centipede was so big because the oxygen level then was 50 percent higher than it is today which allowed it to grow so big.
Arthropleura was able to grow larger than modern arthropods, partly because of the greater partial pressure of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere at that time and partly because of the lack of large terrestrial vertebrate predators.
Giant centipedes as well as regular centipedes are very common in Hawaii.
Hawaii is home to three species of centipede Lithobius sp, Mecistocephalus maxillaries, and Scolopendra subspinipes.