Missouri Is Home to a Centipede That Can Sting Like a Scorpion

Missouri has its fair share of creepy crawlies, but this is one I've never heard of until now. It's a giant centipede that has a venomous sting that victims say feels like a scorpion.

If this isn't nightmare fuel, nothing is

This is the giant red-headed centipede which World Atlas ranks as one of the 5 most dangerous insects in Missouri. The Missouri Department of Conservation has some good news and bad news about the giant red-headed centipede. The bad news is they verify the sting is something you don't want to experience. The good news is it's only known to have a habitat in the southernmost parts of Missouri.

They describe this nasty critter saying "the body is black, the legs are bright yellow, and the head and first body segment are rusty red". There are also 21 pairs of legs with 2 extensions on the back that look like fangs, but that's actually what this centipede uses to hold on to things. The Missouri Department of Conservation says the giant red-headed centipede has another nasty trick other than stinging you. If they crawl on your skin, the legs are sharp enough to open up incisions into your skin which its venom will seep down into. If you have an encounter with one of these centipedes, expect swelling and pain for hours. Their sting isn't normally something that causes serious health complications unless you have an allergy. This centipede deserves the notoriety of being one of the 5 most dangerous insects in Missouri.