9 Types of Centipedes in South Carolina
9 types of centipedes have a verified observation record in South Carolina. The most frequently recorded are Eastern Red Centipede, House Centipede and Eastern Bark Centipede. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
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9 types of centipedes have a verified observation record in South Carolina. The most frequently recorded are Eastern Red Centipede, House Centipede and Eastern Bark Centipede. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
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Real sighting data, source iNaturalist
1,257 verified observations on iNaturalist of centipede have been recorded in South Carolina, most often in March, June, May.
When centipede are recorded in South Carolina
Verified species, source iNaturalist
9 types of centipedes recorded in South Carolina
9 centipede species have a verified observation record in South Carolina, each with at least 10 confirmed sightings. The full list, ranked by how often each is recorded, is below.
3 of the 9 shown are recorded as introduced to South Carolina rather than native.
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Florida Blue Centipede
Scolopendra viridis
31 records - No openly licensed photo yet6
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- No openly licensed photo yet8
Big-leg Centipede
Theatops posticus
12 records - No openly licensed photo yet9
Plus 11 more recorded only rarely (fewer than 10 verified sightings). Counts from verified iNaturalist observations.
The Eastern Red Centipede (Scolopocryptops sexspinosus) is the most commonly recorded, with 250 verified observations, about 30% of all centipedes reported in South Carolina. If you spot a centipede here, it is statistically most likely to be this one.
South Carolina also hosts less common centipedes such as Japanese House Centipede, Florida Blue Centipede and Brown 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 South Carolina rather than native, so they arrived with human help rather than on their own.