Giant Desert Centipede

Description:
Three subspecies of Scolopendra heros are currently recognized.
   All subspecies have 26 to 30 segments in their antennae (generally 26). The first three to five segments are smooth. The head is finely punctuated with two faint sulci, or grooves. The first pair of legs have two tarsal spines and all of the rest have only one. All three subspecies reach 7 to 8” (18 - 20 cm) as adults.

• Red-headed Centipede, Scolopendra h. castaneiceps. It is a black centipede with a red head and yellow legs. It is found in New Mexico across the southwestern United States and as far north as Kansas and east to Georgia.
• Black-tailed Centipede or Blue-tailed Centipede, Scolopendra h. heros. It is a yellow centipede with light yellow legs and a medium to dark blue tail. It is found in New Mexico, east to Texas and northern Mexico.
• Black-headed Centipede, Scolopendra h. arizonensis It is a red or dark orange centipede with yellow legs and a black head and tail. It is found in Arizona and Mexico. Some of the Arizona specimens have black bands running across the tergites.

Care and Feeding:
   Feed crickets and roaches once a week. Once a month feed a small pink mouse. For more information on feeding see, Centipede Care: Feeding

Environment:
   A large enclosure that offers plenty of floor space and a deep (4”+) substrate of damp sand and peat moss is ideal. This species will spend most of its time buried in the substrate with only the tips of the back legs or its antennae above ground. Also offer a few well-placed pieces of cork bark, bark, or a sturdy slate shelter to keep specimens settled. For more information on environment see, Centipede Care: Housing

Temperature and Humidity requirements:
   As typical of a desert species, the Giant Desert Centipede will do fine in the 80° to 85° F range and with a humidity of 50 to 65%.

Handling:
   We do not recommend handling any centipedes. Despite photos of “daredevils” (goof balls) handling large specimens, all Scolopendra are capable of delivering a very painful venomous “pinch”.
   Large specimens should be considered medically serious and some people with reactions to insect venom and those with small children should be very cautious when keeping large Scolopendra species.

Availability:
  The Giant Desert Centipede is commonly available in the spring and summer from invert collectors in the Southwestern United States. From these collectors they get spread to dealers throughout the country and they are usually inexpensive. They are hardy and easy to keep and will no doubt be captive-bred in the future.