Pest Gallery

Centipedescentipedes: Chilopoda

Centipedes live outdoors in damp areas such as under leaves, stones, boards, tree bark, or in mulch around outdoor plantings. When these centipede habitats are near a home’s foundation, they will wander inside where they may be found at floor level almost anywhere. If accidentally injured, larger centipedes may bite, causing some pain and slight swelling. Actually, their “bites” are not caused by their jaws or mouthparts, but by the front legs which are modified to look and function like jaws and contain venom glands. Smaller species are not large enough to penetrate human skin. Centipede bites are usually not serious.

Centipedes are usually brownish, flattened, and elongate animals, which have many body segments. One pair of legs is attached to most of these body segments. They differ from millipedes in that millipedes have two pair of legs on most segments and bodies, which are not flattened.

Centipedes range in length from 1 to 6 inches and can run very rapidly. Centipedes do not damage food supplies or household furnishings. Since they eat insects, spiders and other arthropods, they are beneficial.