They get bigger than that here. Handle with care, they are predatory and can nail you with their mouth parts.

And being predatory, like spiders, these should also be escorted outside rather than killed.

Growing up in Southern New Mexico and Phoenix, AZ, I have had my fill of centipedes, tarantulas, scorpions, black widows and rattlesnakes. I never knew that centipedes were around here.

Even in the Southwest, if you live far enough away from the edge of town, you are far less likely to encounter most of those critters...my brother and his family lives 3 houses from the city limit/desert edge and they consistently remove scorpions from their baseboards and such in their house...whereas my mother still lives in the home I grew up in, which is located toward the center of the town and I can only remember encountering rattlesnakes, scorpions and such down the street at the vacant lot...but, not at our house. We did find a tarantula in the backyard once and black widows are absolutely everywhere.

I figured moving to the PNW 13 years ago meant I was leaving all that behind and my living well within the city limits, I thought I would never see any wild animals near my home. To my surprise, we have had a number of skunks, racoons, possum, even a coyote running down the street.

Goes to show how man's taking over more and more land leaves less area for the native critters to live. We must share the land with the natives, I believe. I must say, though, that hearing that centipedes live West of the Cascades was quite a shock to me.

Thanks to you both. We're still in shock and searching for more information to make sure there aren't more of them downstairs since our two grandsons are sleeping down there this summer. My son-in-law found it at 6:15 am, thought he had killed it, wrapped it in a paper towel and threw it away. When we asked him where it was 12 hours later, we discovered it was still alive in the paper towel in the trash. We honestly believed he didn't understand what a centipede was--wrong. 35 hours later it is still alive in a zip lock bag in our garage getting no air. ?????? We plan to call our pest control service on Monday and see what they have to say. I'm beginning to believe it will still be alive! tophers, we moved here from Albuquerque and also believed such critters were left behind. We're not happy. We'll continue researching. bboy, if you can tell us anything else, we'd appreciate it. Googling for Western Washington centipedes didn't get us anywhere.

We came across these occasionally as kids, I can't recall anyone being bitten, but we were cautious around them. The only ones I've seen around the yard are very small--probably immature.

Putting a contained one in the freezer for a day should put an end to the centipede.

Orkin website has a chapter on centipedes

I've seen them maybe 5-6 in. long once or twice, the rest of the time much smaller. Usually only when disturbing hiding places, like ground litter.

All these predators are beneficial and should be relocated instead of being killed on sight, every time they are encountered. Even rattlesnakes have dangerous bites in the first place because they are mammalian predators. The rodents they kill can be more dangerous to humans when not controlled due to the diseases they spread.

I did a search and found a couple of websites with information. Apparantly, these creatures are more widespread than I thought.

http://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=House-Centipede

http://bugguide.net/node/view/5590

I've been very fortunate in that I've never seen these in my home. I'd probably have a coronary if I did. I know they aren't poisonous, but I still don't want them in my house. Oh well. I guess you have to put up with something, no matter where you go.

By the way, mcsix, we moved here from Albuquerque 13 years ago. I grew up in Alamogordo and went to school in Cruces (go Aggies!...sorry, you're probably a Lobos fan). My wife is from Pojoaque (outside of Santa Fe). We go back to see family every so often, but we absolutely love it here in the PNW. I only miss 2 things from NM (besides the family)...the awesome thunderstorms and green chili.

Good luck with the centipede situation. It appears from what I was reading that if you take care of the (other) bug situation there (what the centipedes eat), that the centipedes will move on.

tophers, don't forget sopapillas with honey....I agree that green chile and the thunderstorms were awesome.

Our bug expert took a look today and thinks it was a freak occurance that it showed up in the house. He said they are common enough but usually stay under rocks or mulch. I'm going to try and forget the whole experience. I'm pretty tolerant of all things in nature, bboy, but some things I just don't want in my house with the grandkids playing nearby.

Thanks to all of you for the websites and information. This is probably the most helpful website I ever visit. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

The worst centipede experience I had was waking up feeling that tickly feeling you get like something is crawling on your leg in the bed, reaching down to itch it, and getting a handful of wriggling legs...you WON'T go back to sleep after something like that, believe me! Don't worry, it was in Florida, not in Western WA. Didn't bite, but sure took 10 years off my life.

mcsix - I still make my own sopapillas with honey. And if you're ever in the Portland area, there's a restaurant "Adobe Rose" in SE Portland. The owners are from Albuquerque. The food is NM-style, rather than the traditional authentic Mexican food from Mexico. Very good food there...but not much seating. Definitely worth checking out.

lucretia - I had a similar experience within the past year, but it was a common house spider that was on the bed in the night and I rolled over on it while sleeping. I felt something wiggling on my back and reached back and sort of mushed the spider. I thought it was a dream until I got up the next morning. It was the next night that I didn't sleep much. You can't wash the sheets enough after that...lol.

tophers, we are so headed for Portland. We usually go once or twice a year, and now we have a new spot to explore. We even flew to San Antonio last year hoping for sopapillas, but only found the dessert kind.

Lucretia, I'm so sorry. I think I'd be sleepless for more than a night or two. I'm pretty tolerant, but after getting bitten by a spider that led to swelling and pain a couple of years ago and a nasty encounter with some hornets, I'm a little more leary of some of nature's creatures.

Tophers, I grew up in Phoenix though was born here and have lived here longer than Phoenix. I miss Arizona Mexican food desperately. I have not found any here that is even close. I am basically unfamiliar with New Mexico Mexican except I know it is hotter, do you know any good restaurants here that are more like Arizona's?

Loved the thunderstorms/monsoon too.

I find centipedes fairly often in my pot ghetto. When I lift up pots. Not in the house though.

888, I lived in Arizona (Luke AFB) when I was younger (late 70's - early 80's). I don't remember the Mexican food from that time (my family NEVER went out to eat when I was young). I've gone back to Phoenix a number of times to see family, but I seem to remember the food in Arizona being similar to that which I would get in New Mexico.

The only Mexican restaurant that I am familiar with in the Portland area that has similar food is Adobe Rose. You could always ask that the food not be made as hot, I suppose. All other Mexican restaurants I've been to around here (past 13 years) is authentic from-the-heart-of-Mexico Mexican food, which is different...mostly in the types of chile they use, the cheeses and the fact that they don't usually make things spicy like they do in New Mexico. It's just different. Those of us who come from or have lived in the Southwest know what I mean...it just doesn't translate well into words. Having lived in Arizona, I'm sure you know what I mean.

I think that Adobe Rose will be your best bet at trying to get what you are used to. It's off of MacLoughlin Blvd in SE Portland. I haven't been in a while and I don't know that area well at all.

mcsix--it wasn't that big of a deal--just that horrible moment of coming awake with a wriggling creepy crawly in your hand, and one night of lost sleep. There's an old saying--there are 2 kinds of people who live in Florida--those with bugs in their houses, and those who lie about it. We also had the occasional palmetto bug (cockroach on steroids) or lizard run across us in the night. No harm, no foul.

tophers--EEeeeeuwwww! It's not the spider itself that's so bad, it's the squishy bits! May have to try Adobe Rose if we ever get down to Portland. I was lucky enough to have Carne Seca (sp?) at a restaurant in Tucson pushing 20 years ago--I still remember it as some of the best food I've ever eaten.

The biggest difference I have found with Mexican food here is the chips and salsa are horrible. I realize that many would not consider that to be a big deal but I do. The chips in Phoenix are light in flavor, texture and color and crispy not greasy, heavy and orange. Nothing can be found even close in a restaurant or the grocery store here. Chipotle's lime salt flavored chips are the best I've had here. Baja Fresh has good Pico de Gallo but their chips are nasty. I don't normally eat fast food but I make an exception for Chipotle.

I find all the cheddar cheese here to be wrong too. It can be very greasy too. Cheddar is from England, not Mexico at the very least use Monterrey Jack.

Mexican food in Phoenix is a lot less spicy than Albuquerque. I have friends from Phoenix who moved to Albuquerque and were surprised at how different it is. I think they all like it better after time though. So much more use of various chilies as the focus rather than just as flavoring.

Another couple of friends moved to Texas. One loves Tex Mex another can't stand it.

I'm going to Phoenix in October and can't wait to go out to eat....