Are There Centipedes in Oregon?
Yes, centipedes live throughout Oregon, including in homes, gardens, and forests. Most Oregonian centipedes are small, quick, and harmless to people. The venomous house centipede, found across the state, can bite if provoked, but bites are extremely rare and cause only minor pain. Learning to recognize centipedes helps you avoid unnecessary alarm.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated July 22, 2026.
Strigamia bothriopus · Judy Gallagher CC BY-SA
Common Desert Centipede · Public domain CC0
Common Desert Centipede · Evrytte Carlson CC BY
- 8
- species recorded
- 582
- GBIF records
- April, May, March
- peak months
Yes, centipedes are in Oregon. Next you'll want:
Verified species, source iNaturalist
7 types of centipedes recorded in Oregon
7 centipede species have a verified observation record in Oregon, each with at least 10 confirmed sightings. The full list, ranked by how often each is recorded, is below.
4 of the 7 shown are recorded as introduced to Oregon rather than native.
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Thorn-tailed Bark Centipede
Scolopocryptops spinicaudus
194 records - No openly licensed photo yet4
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Plus 13 more recorded only rarely (fewer than 10 verified sightings). Counts from verified iNaturalist observations.
Real sighting data, source iNaturalist
2,363 verified observations on iNaturalist of centipede have been recorded in Oregon, most often in April, May, March.
When centipede are recorded in Oregon
Yes, centipedes live throughout Oregon, including in homes, gardens, and forests. Most Oregonian centipedes are small, quick, and harmless to people. The venomous house centipede, found across the state, can bite if provoked, but bites are extremely rare and cause only minor pain. Learning to recognize centipedes helps you avoid unnecessary alarm.
Are They in Oregon?
Centipedes are well established throughout Oregon, from the coast to the interior valleys and mountains. Several species live here, with the small, fast-moving house centipede being the most common indoors. This species survives in Oregon's mild climate and is active year-round. Outdoor centipedes hide under logs, rocks, leaf litter, and mulch throughout the state. Oregonians encounter them regularly in gardens, basements, and under porches. More aggressive centipede species found in southern states are absent from Oregon, so the centipedes you find here are generally harmless hunters focused on insects rather than people. You can read more aboutCentipedes in Oregonto understand what species live near you and how common they are in your specific area.
How Dangerous Are They?
Centipede bites are extremely rare in healthy humans. The house centipede, which is the species most likely to bite, injects venom to subdue prey insects but poses almost no medical risk to people. A bite would feel sharp and painful for a few minutes, similar to a bee sting, then fade quickly. Swelling or redness at the bite site is uncommon and minor when it does occur. No deaths have been recorded from house centipede bites in Oregon or anywhere in the United States. The venom is designed for tiny arthropods, not large mammals. People bitten by centipedes have experienced only brief pain with no long-term effects. Your risk of encountering an aggressive centipede in Oregon is minimal. Even the larger species are not medically significant to healthy adults.
How to Recognize One
Oregon's house centipedes are small, typically less than one and a half inches long, with flattened bodies and many legs. Their bodies are yellowish-brown or tan with dark stripes running lengthwise. They have long, delicate antennae at the front and a distinctive pair of rear legs that look like tentacles. Watch for their extremely fast movement and erratic running style. Outdoor centipedes in Oregon are usually similar or slightly larger, brown or reddish-brown, and also have long antennae. All centipedes have one pair of legs per body segment, distinguishing them from millipedes, which have two pairs. In Oregon's gardens, woodpiles, and under leaf litter, you will find them during warm months. They hide in dark, damp spaces and avoid daylight. Explore ourOregon wildlifepage for more details about identifying creatures in your region.
What to Do If You Are Bitten or Stung
If a centipede bites you, remain calm and keep the bitten area still. Wash the area with soap and water. Remove any nearby rings or tight bracelets in case swelling develops. Apply a cold compress if desired to reduce discomfort. Most centipede bites cause only minor pain that resolves within minutes. Seek medical attention only if you experience unusual symptoms or if you are immunocompromised. This is general information, not medical advice; if you are bitten, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 if symptoms are severe. Do not attempt any field treatment like cutting the wound or applying pressure. Let the bite heal naturally. If you experience any concerning symptoms in the hours after a bite, reach out to a healthcare provider. Centipede bites almost never require hospital care in Oregon or elsewhere.
How to Prevent Encounters
Prevent centipedes in Oregon homes by sealing cracks and gaps around doors, windows, and baseboards. Remove potential hiding spots indoors by decluttering, storing items in sealed containers, and eliminating moisture. Centipedes seek damp areas, so run a dehumidifier in basements and fix any water leaks. Keep your yard tidy by clearing woodpiles, dead leaves, and mulch away from your home's foundation. Shake out shoes, gloves, and bedding before use, especially in summer. When hiking or gardening in Oregon, wear closed-toe shoes to protect your feet. Check your clothing and skin after outdoor activities. Use a flashlight when reaching into dark spaces like garden sheds. For more information on managing your yard safely, check ourwildlife guides. Indoors, use sticky traps to monitor for centipedes without killing them.
Where in Oregon and When
Centipedes are found across all regions of Oregon, from the Willamette Valley to eastern counties. They thrive in moist areas near creeks, streams, and in coastal regions where humidity is high. Indoors, they prefer basements, bathrooms, and damp corners. Outdoors, look for them under rocks and logs near the Rogue River region, the Crater Lake area, and in the Cascade Range foothills. Centipedes are most active during warm months, typically late spring through early fall, though the house centipede is active year-round, even in winter. They emerge after rain when the ground is wet. Night is their primary hunting time, so you are more likely to see them in dim lighting or darkness. In winter, outdoor centipedes retreat deep into soil and woodpiles, becoming inactive. The house centipede, however, remains active inside heated homes. Learn more aboutwildlife in Oregonto understand seasonal patterns.
Harmless Lookalikes
The centipede you encounter in Oregon is far more likely to be harmless than dangerous. Millipedes, which Oregon residents often confuse with centipedes, have two pairs of legs per body segment instead of one. Millipedes are slow-moving, cylindrical, and never bite; they are strictly herbivorous. Silverfish, another common household arthropod, are small, silvery, and fast but have only three visible tails and fewer legs. Sowbugs and pill bugs, common under rocks and logs, are round-bodied and gray. None of these pose any health risk. If you see a fast-moving, flat-bodied arthropod with many legs and long antennae, it is almost certainly a centipede, but even then, it will avoid you and only bite if directly threatened or crushed. Learning to identify these creatures helps reduce unnecessary fear and worry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are centipedes deadly? No. House centipedes in Oregon are not deadly to people. Their venom is harmless to humans. Are centipede bites common in Oregon? Centipede bites are exceptionally rare. Most centipedes actively avoid people and will run away from you. What attracts centipedes to a house? Centipedes are attracted to moisture, darkness, and the presence of other insects they hunt. Basements and bathrooms provide ideal conditions. What should I do if I see a centipede in Oregon? The safest response is to leave it alone or gently guide it outdoors using a piece of paper. Centipedes in homes benefit you by eating pest insects. Learn more aboutmore on Centipedes in Oregonand check outOregon wildlife guidefor additional information about creatures in your area.
Plan your trip
Best time to see centipede in Oregon: April, May, March
See the month-by-month sighting calendar.
Plan your centipede sighting in Oregon
582 verified centipede records have been logged in Oregon, most recently in 2026. See the GBIF records.
Where to look in Oregon
- Crater Lake National Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Fort Vancouver National Historic Site · Wildlife Watching · Find hotels
- Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail · Wildlife Watching · Find hotels
- Lewis and Clark National Historical Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Nez Perce National Historical Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
Frequently asked questions
Are They in Oregon?+
Centipedes are well established throughout Oregon, from the coast to the interior valleys and mountains. Several species live here, with the small, fast-moving house centipede being the most common indoors. This species survives in Oregon's mild climate and is active year-round. Outdoor centipedes hide under logs, rocks, leaf litter, and mulch throughout the state. Oregonians encounter them regularly in gardens, basements, and under porches. More aggressive centipede species found in southern states are absent from Oregon, so the centipedes you find here are generally harmless hunters focused on insects rather than people. You can read more aboutCentipedes in Oregonto understand what species live near you and how common they are in your specific area.
How Dangerous Are They?+
Centipede bites are extremely rare in healthy humans. The house centipede, which is the species most likely to bite, injects venom to subdue prey insects but poses almost no medical risk to people. A bite would feel sharp and painful for a few minutes, similar to a bee sting, then fade quickly. Swelling or redness at the bite site is uncommon and minor when it does occur. No deaths have been recorded from house centipede bites in Oregon or anywhere in the United States. The venom is designed for tiny arthropods, not large mammals. People bitten by centipedes have experienced only brief pain with no long-term effects. Your risk of encountering an aggressive centipede in Oregon is minimal. Even the larger species are not medically significant to healthy adults.
More wildlife in Oregon