What Does a Centipede Bite Look Like?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 10, 2023

The site of a centipede bite becomes red and swollen, as is the case with many other invertebrate stings, according to the National Institutes of Health. At the center of the inflammation, paired marks might be visible from where the centipede’s forcipules penetrated the skin.

Centipede stings can be immediately painful, and they can turn red and begin to swell right away, according to DesertUSA. Because the centipede “bite” is actually a pinch from heavily modified legs, the puncture wounds made by the centipede may be chevron-shaped from the angle of entry. Affected areas suffer tissue damage that can leave necrotic flesh at the site.