Search results
Oct 23, 2018 · All centipedes have the ability to bite, although some smaller species are not strong enough to puncture human skin. What does a centipede bite look like? What are the symptoms of a...
Feb 14, 2020 · Centipedes rarely bite humans, but when they do, it is usually because they feel threatened. Most people will only experience short-term pain, skin inflammation, and redness following a...
May 5, 2023 · 3 min read. You wake up one morning and see broken skin and maybe some swelling on your arm. What you see could be the result of a centipede bite. These common household pests love arms (and...
Typically, centipede bites result in severe pain, swelling, and redness at the puncture site, however, these symptoms usually subside within 48 hours. Centipedes are closely related to lobsters, shrimp, and crayfish. Their bodies are multi-segmented with a pair of legs for each body segment.
A centipede bite is an injury resulting from the action of a centipede's forcipules, stinger-like appendages that pierce the skin and inject venom into the wound. Such a wound is not strictly speaking a bite, as the forcipules are a modified first pair of legs rather than true mouthparts.
Although both centipedes and millipedes have segmented bodies, millipedes have two sets of legs per segment directly under their body, whereas centipedes have only one set of legs per segment positioned on the side of their body.
Some larger centipedes can inflict a painful bite, causing swelling and redness. Symptoms rarely persist for more than 48 hours. Millipedes do not bite but may secrete a toxin that is irritating, particularly when accidentally rubbed into the eye.
