NO. 048
Other arthropods
Common pillbug / roly-poly
Adults have seven pairs of legs
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NO. 049
Illustration · not shown at life size
Illustration · not shown at life sizeOther arthropods / Centipede
House centipede
Scutigera coleoptrata
An adult house centipede has fifteen pairs of legs. This fast hunter eats other household arthropods.
A centipede, and part of our tiny-neighbor collection.
Let’s look closerLittle clues
Three things to notice.
Adults have fifteen pairs of legs.
Long, striped body.
Hunts other household arthropods.
Out in the world
Where to look.
Around southeastern Wisconsin
Damp basements, usually at night.
When to look
At night, when it hunts.
Look closely. Leave your tiny neighbor where you found it.
A closer look
One clue is just the start.
Adults have fifteen pairs of legs. Young house centipedes start with fewer and add more as they grow.
A special find can be hard to spot without being biologically rare. Encounters depend on season and habitat.
Keep exploring
Meet the neighbors.
For curious grownups, too
Read a little further.
Original summaries, with references for deeper reading. Field notes are being checked against the supplied research.
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Artwork & downloads.
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Relief depth PNG — prototype
Matches this front · dark lettering 0.5 mm, outline 0.1 mm at 1 mm maximum
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Front artwork is made for a 3-inch clear disc. Revised artwork still needs a physical check. Disc backs are blank; use the single carrier QR from the print studio to open the field guide.
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