Centipedes

Centipedes are long bugs with lots of legs. The name centipede means 100 legs, but they do not always have exactly 100. Some have 30 legs and others have over 300. They have one pair of legs on each body part. Centipedes are fast runners.

Many Legs

A centipede always has an odd number of leg pairs. Their legs help them move quickly over rocks and dirt. Each body part has just two legs, one on each side. Centipedes have long antennae to feel their way. They move their bodies in waves as they run.

A close-up of a centipede's head and strong jaws.
A close-up of a centipede's head and strong jaws. (Pavel Stoev, Ana Komerički, Nesrine Akkari, Shanlin Liu, Xin Zhou, Alexander M. Weigand, Jeroen Hostens, Christopher I. Hunter, Scott C. Edmunds, David Porco, Marzio Zapparoli, Teodor Georgiev, Daniel Mietchen, David Roberts, Sarah Faulwetter, Vincent Smith, Lyubomir Penev. / Wikimedia Commons)

Hungry Hunters

Centipedes eat spiders, bugs, and worms. They use special front legs shaped like claws to catch food. These claws can give a tiny pinch of venom to stop the prey. Centipedes live in dark, wet places like under rocks or logs. They come out mostly at night.

Fun Facts

  • The biggest centipedes can be over a foot long.
  • Centipedes do not like sunlight and hide during the day.
  • A centipede can grow a new leg if it loses one.

Did You Know?

Centipedes are different from millipedes because millipedes have two pairs of legs on each body part instead of one.