Are There Centipedes in Pennsylvania?
Yes, centipedes live throughout Pennsylvania in homes, gardens, forests, and basements. The most common species is the small house centipede, which thrives in Pennsylvania's cool, humid climate. These fast-moving arthropods have venom but rarely bite humans. Bites are extremely rare and cause only minor discomfort. Understanding centipedes in Pennsylvania helps reduce unfounded fear.
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
- 1,877
- GBIF records
- April, May, March
- peak months
Yes, centipedes are in Pennsylvania. Next you'll want:
Verified species, source iNaturalist
12 types of centipedes recorded in Pennsylvania
12 centipede species have a verified observation record in Pennsylvania, each with at least 10 confirmed sightings. The full list, ranked by how often each is recorded, is below.
6 of the 12 shown are recorded as introduced to Pennsylvania rather than native.
- No openly licensed photo yet1
- No openly licensed photo yet2
- No openly licensed photo yet3
- No openly licensed photo yet4
- No openly licensed photo yet5
- No openly licensed photo yet6
- No openly licensed photo yet7
Scolopocryptops peregrinator
Scolopocryptops peregrinator
38 records - No openly licensed photo yet8
Strigamia bothriopus
Strigamia bothriopus
34 records - No openly licensed photo yet9
- No openly licensed photo yet10
- No openly licensed photo yet11
Big-leg Centipede
Theatops posticus
16 records - No openly licensed photo yet12
Strigamia bidens
Strigamia bidens
10 records
Plus 7 more recorded only rarely (fewer than 10 verified sightings). Counts from verified iNaturalist observations.
Real sighting data, source iNaturalist
5,166 verified observations on iNaturalist of centipede have been recorded in Pennsylvania, most often in April, May, March.
When centipede are recorded in Pennsylvania
Yes, centipedes live throughout Pennsylvania in homes, gardens, forests, and basements. The most common species is the small house centipede, which thrives in Pennsylvania's cool, humid climate. These fast-moving arthropods have venom but rarely bite humans. Bites are extremely rare and cause only minor discomfort. Understanding centipedes in Pennsylvania helps reduce unfounded fear.
Are They in Pennsylvania?
Centipedes are well established across Pennsylvania, from the Pocono Mountains to the Ohio border. The house centipede is by far the most common species found indoors and in humid basements throughout the state. Native Pennsylvanian centipedes also inhabit leaf litter, woodpiles, and soil in forests statewide. You can find them in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and every region between. Pennsylvania's cool, humid climate creates ideal conditions for centipedes year-round indoors and seasonally outdoors. These creatures are hunters of household insects, so their presence in your home actually indicates an active pest ecosystem they are controlling. Most centipedes in Pennsylvania are small, quick, and focused entirely on finding and eating insects and spiders. To learn more aboutCentipedes in Pennsylvania, you can explore detailed information about which species live near you.
How Dangerous Are They?
Centipede bites are exceptionally rare in Pennsylvania and pose minimal medical risk to healthy people. The house centipede, which Pennsylvania residents encounter most often, has venom designed for tiny insects, not large animals. If bitten, you would experience sharp pain for a few minutes, similar to a bee sting, followed by rapid relief. Minor localized redness or swelling might occur but typically resolves within hours. No fatalities from centipede bites have ever been documented in Pennsylvania or the United States. Allergic reactions are vanishingly rare. The centipede's primary goal is escaping rather than attacking. Bites occur only when a centipede is directly threatened, trapped, or crushed. Your actual risk of being bitten during your entire lifetime in Pennsylvania is extraordinarily low. Centipedes are far more afraid of you than you need to be of them.
How to Recognize One
Pennsylvania's house centipedes are small, typically under one and a half inches long, with flattened, segmented bodies. They are yellowish-brown or tan with darker stripes along their length. Long antennae extend from their head, and they have many pairs of thin legs underneath their body. Most distinctively, they have an extremely fast, erratic running style that catches people off guard. Larger native centipedes found in Pennsylvania's forests and leaf litter are brown or reddish-brown, somewhat longer, but still relatively small. All centipedes have exactly one pair of legs per body segment, which distinguishes them from millipedes. Check ourPennsylvania wildlifeguide to better understand local species. If you see a fast arthropod with many legs and long antennae in your Pennsylvania home or garden, it is almost certainly a centipede.
What to Do If You Are Bitten or Stung
If a centipede bites you in Pennsylvania, stay calm and keep the bitten area still. Wash it immediately with soap and water. Remove any rings or tight bracelets near the bite site in case swelling develops, though swelling is uncommon. Ice or a cold compress may ease discomfort if desired. Most centipede bites resolve completely within minutes without any intervention. Seek medical attention only if you experience unusual or worsening symptoms, or if you have a compromised immune system. 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 apply tourniquets, cut the wound, or attempt any aggressive treatment. Allow the bite to heal naturally. Pennsylvania poison control specialists confirm that centipede bites almost never require emergency care.
How to Prevent Encounters
Reduce centipedes in your Pennsylvania home by sealing cracks and gaps around doors, windows, pipes, and baseboards. Remove moisture, which centipedes actively seek. Use a dehumidifier in basements, the most common centipede habitat. Fix any leaking pipes or water damage promptly. Declutter your home and store items in sealed plastic containers rather than open boxes. Keep your yard tidy by removing dead leaves, woodpiles, and mulch piled against your home's foundation. Shake out shoes, gloves, and clothing before wearing, especially outdoor gear stored in sheds or garages. When hiking in Pennsylvania forests, wear closed-toe shoes. Check your skin and clothing after being outdoors in wooded areas. For guidance on managing wildlife safely, visitour wildlife guides. Use sticky traps to monitor centipedes without killing them. Remember that centipedes control mosquitoes and other pests, so their presence has benefits.
Where in Pennsylvania and When
Centipedes are found across all Pennsylvania regions, including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. They thrive in moist habitats near the Susquehanna River, Delaware River valleys, and throughout the Pocono Mountains. Indoors, they prefer basements, bathrooms, and crawl spaces where humidity is high. Outdoors, search under rocks, logs, and leaf litter in state forests throughout the state. Centipedes are most active during Pennsylvania's warm months, typically May through October, when they hunt actively. They are particularly active on warm, humid nights or after rain. The house centipede remains active inside heated homes year-round, even during Pennsylvania's cold winters. Outdoor centipedes retreat into soil, woodpiles, and deep leaf litter as temperatures drop, becoming dormant or less active. Spring in Pennsylvania brings increased indoor centipede sightings as they move around seeking moisture.
Harmless Lookalikes
Many of the arthropods Pennsylvania residents encounter are harmless and often confused with centipedes. Millipedes, common in Pennsylvania, have two pairs of legs per body segment and move slowly. They never bite and are vegetarian. Silverfish are small, silvery, and quick but have only three tails and far fewer legs than centipedes. Sowbugs and pill bugs roll into balls and are gray or brown, found under rocks and logs throughout Pennsylvania. None of these creatures pose health risks. Earwigs, another Pennsylvania arthropod, have pincers at their rear but cannot bite significantly and pose no danger. If you find a fast-moving, flat-bodied creature with many legs and long antennae, it is almost certainly a harmless centipede focused entirely on finding insects. Learning to identify lookalikes helps ease Pennsylvania residents' minds about these creatures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are centipedes deadly in Pennsylvania? No. Centipedes, even those that can bite, are not deadly to humans. Their venom is harmless to people. How common are centipede bites in Pennsylvania? Centipede bites are exceptionally rare. Most Pennsylvanians go their entire lives without being bitten. What attracts centipedes to Pennsylvania homes? Moisture is the primary attractant. Basements, bathrooms, and damp crawl spaces provide ideal habitat. What should I do if I see a centipede? Leave it alone or gently guide it outside using a piece of paper or cardboard. Centipedes in your home are beneficial predators eating household pests. Visitmore on Centipedes in Pennsylvaniaand ourPennsylvania wildlife guidefor more information.
Plan your trip
Best time to see centipede in Pennsylvania: April, May, March
See the month-by-month sighting calendar.
Plan your centipede sighting in Pennsylvania
1,877 verified centipede records have been logged in Pennsylvania, most recently in 2026. See the GBIF records.
Where to look in Pennsylvania
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Chesapeake Bay · Wildlife Watching · Find hotels
- Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Fort Necessity National Battlefield · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Friendship Hill National Historic Site · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
Frequently asked questions
Are They in Pennsylvania?+
Centipedes are well established across Pennsylvania, from the Pocono Mountains to the Ohio border. The house centipede is by far the most common species found indoors and in humid basements throughout the state. Native Pennsylvanian centipedes also inhabit leaf litter, woodpiles, and soil in forests statewide. You can find them in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and every region between. Pennsylvania's cool, humid climate creates ideal conditions for centipedes year-round indoors and seasonally outdoors. These creatures are hunters of household insects, so their presence in your home actually indicates an active pest ecosystem they are controlling. Most centipedes in Pennsylvania are small, quick, and focused entirely on finding and eating insects and spiders. To learn more aboutCentipedes in Pennsylvania, you can explore detailed information about which species live near you.
How Dangerous Are They?+
Centipede bites are exceptionally rare in Pennsylvania and pose minimal medical risk to healthy people. The house centipede, which Pennsylvania residents encounter most often, has venom designed for tiny insects, not large animals. If bitten, you would experience sharp pain for a few minutes, similar to a bee sting, followed by rapid relief. Minor localized redness or swelling might occur but typically resolves within hours. No fatalities from centipede bites have ever been documented in Pennsylvania or the United States. Allergic reactions are vanishingly rare. The centipede's primary goal is escaping rather than attacking. Bites occur only when a centipede is directly threatened, trapped, or crushed. Your actual risk of being bitten during your entire lifetime in Pennsylvania is extraordinarily low. Centipedes are far more afraid of you than you need to be of them.
More wildlife in Pennsylvania