Giant Redheaded Centipede Control in Boerne, TX
When a giant redheaded centipede turns up in Boerne, people remember it: a long, flat, fast animal with a red-orange head, a dark body and bright yellow legs crossing the patio, the garage floor or a doorway, sometimes in broad daylight. The first move is not to touch it. Keep people and pets back while it leaves, then look at the stones, mulch and woodpiles near the foundation, since that is where it lives. If you see them indoors more than once, call or text (210) 281-1064 or book online.
Is it the giant redheaded centipede? #
Also called the Texas redheaded centipede, this species is the big one. Texas A&M AgriLife and Texas Parks and Wildlife give different top sizes: about 7 inches in AgriLife's venomous animals bulletin, up to 8 inches in the wild per TPWD (TPW Magazine), and over 9 inches fully grown in another AgriLife leaflet. Other features:
- 21 to 23 pairs of legs, one pair per body segment
- a brown to deep blue body with a yellow-orange head, legs and tail end
- a front pair of "legs" that are really hollow fangs with venom glands
The common house centipede is a different animal: about 1 1/2 inches with 15 pairs of very long, thin legs.
Creek banks, rock and leaf litter around Boerne #
AgriLife's bulletin says this centipede is more common in central Texas and farther west, though it can turn up almost anywhere, and TPWD's article pictures one found near Kerrville. Two things about Boerne fit what it needs.
Moist, sheltered ground. AgriLife's centipede leaflet says they prefer damp, protected spots under bark, stones, leaves and rotting logs (ENTO-PU-020). Cibolo Creek runs through town, with City Park and River Road Park on its banks and the Cibolo Trail following it for 1.75 miles (City of Boerne parks). Homes near the creek, or any yard with shady beds, thick mulch and leaf litter, offer that kind of cover.
Rock and cedar. Texas Parks and Wildlife describes Hill Country land as shallow, rocky soil with spreading Ashe juniper (TPWD). TPWD says giant centipedes usually rest under logs, rocks or leaf litter. Stone borders, rock walls, cedar debris and firewood stacked against the house give them places to hide right next to your doors.
They hunt other arthropods and even small vertebrates, such as lizards, toads, small snakes and rodents. TPWD notes they are often active by day and occasionally wander indoors.
What a bite does, and doesn't do #
AgriLife's bulletin says a bite can bring burning pain, nausea and temporary paralysis, and the claws on the walking legs can scratch and irritate the skin. TPWD describes a sharp, painful sting with swelling that usually eases after a few hours, and says confirmed deaths from this species have never been recorded. Rarer problems such as skin damage, dizziness and headache can occur, and a Texas emergency-room case report lists infection and more serious complications in a small number of cases. TPWD's advice is to think of a bite as roughly like a bee sting.
First aid is soap and water. Get medical attention for any unusual or spreading symptoms, and call the Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 with questions.
Make the foundation less inviting #
AgriLife's centipede leaflet suggests:
- Moving compost, firewood and stones away from the house.
- Putting a band of gravel between the foundation and planting beds.
- Turning mulch so it dries out.
- Sealing gaps around doors, windows and pipes.
- Filling weep holes with copper mesh or steel wool (skip steel wool on light-colored walls, where it rusts and stains).
- Ventilating crawl spaces.
And never pick one up. AgriLife's guidance is simply not to handle centipedes at all.
How Pest Trappers handles centipedes in Boerne #
The technician looks at the foundation, beds, rock work, woodpiles, door sweeps, weep holes and the garage, and talks through what to move or seal. AgriLife notes that perimeter and crack-and-crevice treatments may help; the technician explains whether that fits your situation and follows the product label. Pricing comes after the inspection, and the office confirms the time. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549) is a family-owned company. See our centipede guide, scorpion control in Boerne for the same hiding spots, and the Boerne page.