Giant Redheaded Centipede Control in Helotes, TX
In Helotes, the giant redheaded centipede usually shows up somewhere startling: crossing the garage floor, curled under a flowerpot or doormat, or racing along the patio edge, sometimes in broad daylight. It's a fast, many-legged hunter with a dark body and orange head and tail, and the right first move is to keep hands, bare feet and pets away from it. Then look at what's giving it cover near the foundation. If they keep coming inside, reach Pest Trappers at (210) 281-1064 by phone or text, or book online.
Hill Country cover right outside the door #
AgriLife's venomous animals bulletin says Scolopendra centipedes are more common in central Texas and westward, though they can turn up almost anywhere. TPWD's magazine says they usually rest under logs, rocks and leaf litter, and AgriLife's centipede leaflet adds loose bark and rotting wood.
The land around Helotes has plenty of that. TPWD's Government Canyon nature page describes juniper and oak woodland nearby, home to white-tailed deer, bobcats, javelina, coyotes and numerous snakes. Big centipedes are predators in that same world: AgriLife and TPWD say they eat insects and other arthropods, and also small animals such as lizards, toads, rodents and even snakes.
A hint from the city's rattlesnake guide #
Helotes Animal Control links residents to a city guide on rattlesnake safety alongside its rabies information, according to the Animal Control page. The fact that the city publishes one tells you something about local yards: rock piles, brush and stacked wood here shelter more than insects. The habit that protects you from a snake, never reaching blindly under a rock or log, also protects you from a giant centipede hiding there.
Is it a giant redhead or a house centipede? #
| Feature | Giant redheaded centipede | House centipede |
|---|---|---|
| Size | B-6118: about 7 inches; TPWD: up to 8 in the wild; AgriLife: over 9 when full grown | about 1 1/2 inches |
| Legs | 21 to 23 pairs, sturdy | 15 pairs, long and thread-thin |
| Look | brown to deep blue body, yellow-orange head, legs and tail | small and delicate |
One feature matters most: the giant's first pair of "legs" are hollow fangs with venom glands at their base.
How serious is a bite? #
It hurts. B-6118 says these centipedes pinch with jaws and legs and can cause burning pain, nausea and temporary paralysis, and AgriLife notes the sharp leg claws can leave irritated wounds too. TPWD describes a sharp, painful sting with swelling that usually eases within a few hours.
Rare cases go further. TPWD lists minor skin damage, dizziness, nausea and headaches, and, in only a handful of cases, muscle damage, kidney failure or heart attack, but it notes that no bite has ever caused a confirmed death. A Texas emergency-room case report from Temple adds infection and tissue damage to the list of complications.
Wash a bite with soap and water. B-6118 says to get medical attention for any unusual symptoms; the Poison Center is 1-800-222-1222. TPWD's advice is to think of a bite like a bee sting, and that outright terror is probably an overreaction.
Making your foundation less inviting #
AgriLife's prevention list for centipedes:
- Move compost piles, firewood and loose stones away from the house.
- Put a strip of gravel between the foundation and planting beds.
- Turn mulch now and then so it dries out.
- Seal gaps at doors, windows and where pipes enter.
- Stuff weep holes with copper mesh or steel wool, but skip steel wool on light-colored walls, where it rusts and stains.
- Ventilate any crawl space.
And don't pick one up, even a dead-looking one. AgriLife's advice is simply never to handle centipedes.
What Pest Trappers does about centipedes in Helotes #
The technician looks for the moist, sheltered spots near the foundation that hold centipedes and their prey, checks door sweeps, weep holes and garage gaps, and explains which changes and treatment options make sense for your house. AgriLife notes that perimeter treatment at the foundation may help; any product is applied as its label directs. Pricing comes after the inspection, and the service is provided by Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549).
Read the giant redheaded centipede guide for more. Scorpions share the same rocks and gaps; see striped bark scorpion control in Helotes and the Helotes town page.