6 Types of Centipedes in Kentucky
6 types of centipedes have a verified observation record in Kentucky. The most frequently recorded are Eastern Bark Centipede, Japanese House Centipede and Eastern Red Centipede. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
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6 types of centipedes have a verified observation record in Kentucky. The most frequently recorded are Eastern Bark Centipede, Japanese House Centipede and Eastern Red Centipede. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
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Real sighting data, source iNaturalist
1,477 verified observations on iNaturalist of centipede have been recorded in Kentucky, most often in April, March, May.
When centipede are recorded in Kentucky
Verified species, source iNaturalist
6 types of centipedes recorded in Kentucky
6 centipede species have a verified observation record in Kentucky, each with at least 10 confirmed sightings. The full list, ranked by how often each is recorded, is below.
3 of the 6 shown are recorded as introduced to Kentucky rather than native.
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Big-leg Centipede
Theatops posticus
44 records
Plus 6 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 251 verified observations, about 27% of all centipedes reported in Kentucky. If you spot a centipede here, it is statistically most likely to be this one.
Kentucky also hosts less common centipedes such as 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. Japanese House Centipede, House Centipede and Brown Centipede are recorded by iNaturalist as introduced in Kentucky rather than native, so they arrived with human help rather than on their own.