Despite their name, centipedes rarely have exactly one hundred legs. They have one pair of legs per body segment, and the total varies widely between species but is always an odd number of pairs. Centipedes are fast, nocturnal hunters that use venomous front claws to catch insects and spiders, and they prefer damp hiding spots under logs and stones. Learn more in our guide to centipede facts, venom, diet and habitat.
Centipedes are one of the very first animals to ever come about on our beloved planet, showing up in our fossil records as far back as 430 million years during the late-Silurian period. This means they pre-date dinosaurs by over 200 million years, and they’ve been quite successful in out-living them. Centipede Quick Facts Common…