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(Various scientific names)

Centipede

(Various scientific names)

Do you want to wake up to find a centipede in the middle of the night? We did not think so, but it could happen since most of the time they are active at night. While they are helpful by preying on other pests, they are fearsome looking, although it is rare for them to bite a person or pet. Their typical habitat is moist, dark and rarely disturbed areas such as basements, storage rooms and janitor closets.
RISK LEVEL:
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
Risk is defined as how much damage each pest can be to you, your family, or your home
Centipede
  • Gravitate towards damp areas.
  • Live in mulch or areas with a lot of vegetation.
  • You are more likely to find a centipede in a dark area, as these nocturnal creatures often avoid daylight.
Class: Order: Family:
Chilopoda Various Various
Size: Centipedes in the adult stage are about 1/8 to 6 in (4-152 mm) long.
Color: Usually yellowish to dark brown, sometimes with darker stripes or marks.
Characteristics: Centipedes are long and flat, with worm-like bodies of many segments. Each segment has one pair of legs. "Centi-" means 100, and "-pede" refers to legs, but centipedes may actually have 15-177 legs. The first pair form claw-like poison fangs. The last two point backward. First instars have only 4 segments, but with each molt more are added.
Geographic Range: These "hundred-footed" creatures are found throughout most of the U.S. and the world.
Food: Small insects, spiders, and sometimes plants. Most of the liquid they need comes from digestion of their prey.
Biology: Females of one type of centipede produce 35 eggs over a period of days. Eggs are laid in or on the soil during the summer. Adults may live a year, and some up to 5-6 years. They are nocturnal, which means they're active at night.
(Various scientific names)

Prevention Tips For Occasional Invaders

  1. Replace mulch or heavy vegetation next to home with gravel
  2. Keep grass short
  3. Keep outside lights turned off after dusk