[2] In 1758, Carl Linnaeus described the species in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae, giving the name Scolopendra coleoptrata, writing that it has a "coleopterated thorax" (similar to a coleopter).

[4] The word scutigera comes from Latin gerere 'to bear' and scutum 'shield', because of the shape of the plates in the back of the chilopod.

[5] The body of an adult Scutigera coleoptrata is typically 25 to 35 mm (1.0 to 1.4 in) in length, although larger specimens are sometimes encountered.

[6] The delicate legs enable it to reach surprising speeds of up to 0.4 meters per second (1.3 ft/s) running across floors, up walls and along ceilings.

House centipedes feed on spiders, bed bugs, termites, cockroaches, silverfish, ants, and other household arthropods.

In a feeding study, S. coleoptrata showed the ability to distinguish between possible prey, avoiding dangerous insects.

In 1902, C. L. Marlatt, an entomologist with the United States Department of Agriculture, wrote a brief description of the house centipede:[1] It may often be seen darting across floors with very great speed, occasionally stopping suddenly and remaining absolutely motionless, presently to resume its rapid movements, often darting directly at inmates of the house, particularly women, evidently with a desire to conceal itself beneath their dresses, and thus creating much consternation.Outdoors, house centipedes prefer to live in cool, damp places.

Centipede respiratory systems do not provide any mechanism for shutting the spiracles, and that is why they need an environment that protects them from dehydration and excessive cold.

These centipedes can be found in almost any part of the house, although they are usually encountered in dark or dimly lit areas such as basements and garages.

They do not instantly change direction when light is suddenly shone at them, but will retreat to a darker hiding spot.

Some of the plates covering the body segments fused and became smaller during the evolution to the current state of S. coleoptrata.

[14] Unlike its shorter-legged but larger tropical cousins, S. coleoptrata can live its entire life inside a building, usually on the ground levels of homes.

While many homeowners may be unsettled by house centipedes due to their speed and appearance, they pose little to no threat towards humans, and are often beneficial as they catch other, more harmful pests, such as cockroaches.