Rare and venomous centipede found in Nottinghamshire for first time

A rare, venomous centipede has been discovered in Nottinghamshire for the first time.

Scutigera coleoptrata, commonly known as the House Centipede, was found at the home of University of Leicester academic Dr Richard Jones.

Dr Jones, who lives in Upton, near Newark-on-Trent, spotted the bug in his downstairs bathroom.

Their bite is non-fatal to humans and is described as akin to a bee sting, the University of Leicester said.

Since the discovery on 11 January, Dr Jones has had the centipede formally identified by the British Myriapod and Isopod Group, reported to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and added to the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology's national database.

The University of Leicester said the House Centipede was the fastest-moving centipede in the world and a voracious predator of insects and arachnids.

It is indigenous to the Mediterranean and has spread through much of Europe, Asia, North America and Australia but remains extremely rare in the UK.

The university said it understood there had been fewer than 50 confirmed sightings since 1883 but the number was rising with 10 new verified sightings in 2023.

Dr Jones, a history professor, said: "I really encourage people to keep an eye out for the unusual and report their findings.

"There are some brilliant experts out there willing to help and confirm identifications.

"Encounters such as this are a reminder that we should expect the unexpected as the world warms. This centipede has brought that home to me, literally."

Dr Jones said his new housemate remained at large and he was taking every opportunity to observe its behaviour.

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