Centipedes
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class: Chilopoda
Centipedes are not insects for the most obvious reason – they have too many legs. They belong to the arthropoda class Chilopoda. Their general appearance is long and worm-like with one pair of legs to each segment. This identification feature is depicted on the above picture.
Centipedes
require damp, dark places to breed and feed.
They can be found in mulch or wood chips used in landscaping around
houses and will occasionally invade structures.
The appearance of these anthropods indoors generally alarms homeowners
who call pest control operators for assistance.
Biology and Habits
Centipedes are flat and long (2.5 to 16 cm or 1 to 6 inches). They are usually brown with many segments. Their life span is as long as six years. Centipedes prey on insects and worms which they kill with venomous injections. A few tropical species can bite and inflict a painful wound, but common ones in the United States do not harm humans.
House
centipedes (Scutigera coleoptrata L.) can mate and breed indoors in dark
cracks and crevices.
The eggs hatch to larvae having four pairs of legs.
There may be five or more larval stages – the number of legs increasing
with each molt – followed by four adolescent stages.
The adult house centipede has 15 pairs of unusually long legs.
Control
The most effective strategy for control is to locate the infested area or cause of the infestation. Since centipedes need most habitats, damp areas should be aired out. Cracks and crevices in bathrooms or other humid spots are critical areas in a control program. Damp crawl spaces are also excellent breeding areas. Check your pesticide labels – certain dust and granular formulations can be applied to crawl spaces.
Rotting
wood, rocks, compost piles and leaves near foundations offer favorable
breeding areas.
Moreover, centipedes can enter through foundation cracks, window
frames and door frames.
Thus, apply barrier treatments around foundations.
(Courtesy of the National Pest Control Association.)