Centipedes

Centipedes belong to class of myriapods. The name centipede, which means "100 legs," can be somewhat misleading: centipedes may have anywhere from 15 to 191 pairs of legs. Centipedes always have an odd number of pairs of legs. Centipedes are elongated, with flat, segmented bodies that contain a pair of legs for all but one segment. Adult centipedes are brown and measure over one inch in length.

The heads of centipedes have a pair of long and sensitive antennae. They have small mouths and have large, claw-like structures that contain a venom gland. Because most centipedes are carnivorous creatures that forage for food at night, they use their claws to paralyze their victims, such as worms, spiders and small vertebrates.

Adult centipedes hide in moist, dark and secluded areas during winter. They place eggs in dampened soil during summer or spring. As centipedes become adults, they grow a complete set of legs and extra segments. However, some centipedes are born complete. Most centipedes live for up to six years, but their development requires two to three years.

Centipedes may enter houses and buildings, but they do not roam during daytime. They hide in damp areas around bathrooms, closets, basements and other sites typically infested by pests. Although centipedes may help homeowners get rid of insects like cockroaches and houseflies, large species could produce bites that are as painful as bee stings. Some centipedes can run quickly when disturbed. When they are handled, centipedes may bite, causing severe pain, numbness, discoloration and inflammation.

Because centipedes feed on insects and other arthropods, eliminating their food sources is a step toward controlling centipedes. For this reason, it's ideal to identify all other pests inside houses and buildings before performing any pest control. Some experts suggest not treating centipedes directly, as their populations will die off or migrate if their prey disappears.