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This creepy little arthropod is called a house centipede. Found lurking around in my apartment I was finally able to get a few shots of it.

• Originally from Mexico, now found all over U.S.

• Crawls rapidly across the floor in your house/apartment; can climb walls easily.

• Considered beneficial to humans. Why? It is a predator, feeding on other arthropods, such as insects, spiders and other small animals.

• The last pair of hind legs are modified to lasso and hold the victims until they are paralyzed by venom from the jaws connected to poison glands.

• Grayish-yellow with 3 dark, long stripes down the back with the legs encircled with alternating dark and white bands.

• House centipedes may be able to bite humans. Their bite is supposed to cause some swelling and pain, but usually is not worse than a bee sting.