8 Types of Centipedes in Alabama
8 types of centipedes have a verified observation record in Alabama. The most frequently recorded are Eastern Bark Centipede, Eastern Red Centipede and House Centipede. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
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8 types of centipedes have a verified observation record in Alabama. The most frequently recorded are Eastern Bark Centipede, Eastern Red Centipede and House Centipede. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
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Real sighting data, source iNaturalist
1,794 verified observations on iNaturalist of centipede have been recorded in Alabama, most often in October, March, April.
When centipede are recorded in Alabama
Verified species, source iNaturalist
8 types of centipedes recorded in Alabama
8 centipede species have a verified observation record in Alabama, each with at least 10 confirmed sightings. The full list, ranked by how often each is recorded, is below.
3 of the 8 shown are recorded as introduced to Alabama rather than native.
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Big-leg Centipede
Theatops posticus
56 records - No openly licensed photo yet7
Blue Belly Centipede
Scolopocryptops nigridius
14 records - No openly licensed photo yet8
Plus 12 more recorded only rarely (fewer than 10 verified sightings). Counts from verified iNaturalist observations.
The Eastern Bark Centipede (Hemiscolopendra marginata) is the most commonly recorded, with 430 verified observations, about 36% of all centipedes reported in Alabama. If you spot a centipede here, it is statistically most likely to be this one.
Alabama also hosts less common centipedes such as Japanese House Centipede, Brown Centipede and Big-leg Centipede, each recorded fewer than 100 times. These are the species worth a second look when you are out, since a sighting is more notable.
Not every one of these is originally from here. House Centipede, Japanese House Centipede and Brown Centipede are recorded by iNaturalist as introduced in Alabama rather than native, so they arrived with human help rather than on their own.