Termacide Pest & Termites Control

Centipedes

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• Body: Can be as short as 1/4 inch in length or as long as 6 inches. The body is made up of 15 or more segments, all of a similar size.

• Legs: Centipedes have one pair of legs on each body segment - and they have a lot of body segments (thus their name). The first pair of legs has a set of poison claws, or fangs, which they use to paralyze their prey. The back legs are longer than the others and are used as antennae.

• Color: Yellowish to dark brown or even reddish green.

• Food: Feed on small insects, spiders, earthworms, and snails.

• Movement: Centipedes can move about very quickly on their long legs.

• When Disturbed: Centipedes will scurry away quickly.

• Where They Live: Centipedes prefer dark, moist hiding places, such as under stones, boards, sticks, leaves, organic matter outdoors, and in basements and bathrooms indoors.

• Threat: Centipedes of the U.S. rarely bite, but when they do, it can redden and swell similar to a bee sting. In other areas of the world where centipedes are often larger, their bite can cause a burning pain.

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Centipedes are related to millipedes and are also worm-like in form, but they differ in having flattened bodies and only one pair of legs on each body segment. They also possess a pair of poison claws or legs just behind the head which are used to paralyze their prey which are usually other small insects or animals. Most centipedes are beneficial, yet the large species found in tropic areas can reach a length of up to 18 inches and inflict a painful bite.

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If centipedes become a continued problem inside a structure then their may be another insect problem present since insects are a primary food source for centipedes. If centipedes are common indoors, look for insects such as cockroaches, flies, box elder bugs, elm leaf beetles and other general insects. Controlling these insects may be the key to eliminating the centipede problem. Removing the mulch adjacent to the foundation or occasionally allowing it to dry out should also help reduce centipede activity.

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Millipedes

• Body: Up to 1 1/2 inches long (except the Beauvois species found in Texas that can be up to 4 inches in length).
  Legs: Millipedes have two pairs of legs on each body segment. Their legs are shorter in relation to the body, so they look more like worms than do the centipedes.

• Color: Brown to black, rounded body.

• Food: Organic material and some young plants.

• Movement: Millipede movement is slower with a wave-like look.

• When Disturbed: Millipedes will curl into a ball, like pillbugs or sowbugs.

• Where They Live: Millipedes live primarily on organic materials such as leaves, mulch, and wood chips.
  Threat: Millipedes do not bite, but may eject a fluid that can irritate skin or eyes, have a foul smell, and cause an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals.

Millipede eggs are deposited in masses in the soil. Young millipedes have fewer segments then the adults, but they add segments at each molt of the outer shell or exoskeleton. Molting occurs 7-10 times before maturity. Young millipedes mature the second year after hatching. Some millipede species live for several years. Similarly, centipedes molt several times, adding legs and body segments with each molt.

Millipedes feed on organic matter, including decayed plant material such as leaves and wood, and occasionally, living plant roots and rootlets, and developing fruit such as melons with a preference for cantaloupes and cucumbers. Affected plants may wilt and die and melons may develop rots caused by bacteria or fungi which are introduced by millipede feeding. When millipedes are abundant in mulches and liter in landscape plantings around homes and structures they often enter through cracks and crevices. Once inside, they usually die unless the areas they enter are very moist. Entry into homes and structures is most common after heavy spring rains saturate the soil and drive millipedes to higher ground. Millipedes also enter homes and structures in the fall, when they seek hibernation sites. Centipedes can be found outdoors, often under stones, boards, wood piles and other misc. ground coverings. They also live under leaf litter and other organic matter. Occasionally these outdoor species invade homes and structures where they are a nuisance, yet are not destructive.

There are several things that can be done to control and prevent millipede problems. Reducing mulch thickness around the home or structure, reduce watering schedules, and pulling mulch away from plants to allow them to dry all will help control millipede feeding and reproduction. To prevent millipedes from entering homes and structures be sure that screens are tight, that moisture holding debris in window wells is eliminated, and that mulches around ornamental plantings are at least 6 to 8 inches away from the foundation.

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Damage and Disease

In general, these many-legged pests cause no danger or harm to people or pets and are not known to transmit any diseases to humans. They do not damage food, plants, furniture, or buildings as other more harmful pests do, such as cockroaches, rodents, and flies.

Because they require moisture and foods such as organic material or insects to survive, millipedes and centipedes will not be able to live for long or reproduce in homes, as they are generally too dry for them.

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Control of Centipedes and Millipedes

How to control centipedes or millipedes:

1. Find the source - centipedes and millipedes need moisture to survive, so if they are living in your home, there may be a moisture problem that should be repaired.

2. Remove any organic material that is within a few feet of the house, including mulch, wood chip landscaping, and moist ground cover.

3. Inspect for and eliminate moist areas near the exterior of the home where centipedes or millipedes may be living.

4. Store firewood away from the house and inspect for clinging bugs and insects prior to bringing into the home.

5. Seal around doors and windows, particularly those that are low to the ground.

6. Apply an insecticide labeled for this use around the foundation, about two feet up the outside walls, and one to two feet out from the home. Follow all label directions when using any pesticide.

7. If found in the house, simply vacuum or sweep up, squashing and discarding or releasing the arthropods outside.

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What Is the Difference Between Centipedes and Millipedes?

Both centipedes and millipedes have segmented bodies and belong to the group Myriapoda. Both breathe through spiracles and have no direct copulatory organs. However, many differences exist between centipedes and millipedes.

Centipedes are terrestrial arthropods belonging to Class Chilopoda. Centipedes are flexible, dorsoventrally flattened arthropods. Millipedes belong to Class Diplopoda and are more rigid arthropods distinguishable by their subcylindrical shape. Centipedes have one pair of legs per body segment, while millipedes have two pairs.

While most centipedes are known for their speed, millipedes move slowly and burrow.

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Differences in Diet

Centipedes and millipedes also vary in diet: centipedes are carnivores and millipedes are primarily detritivores. Centipedes are carnivorous and kill their prey by injecting them with venom. Millipedes feed primarily on decaying organic matter and they may eat the roots and leaves of seedling plants. Millipedes are ecologically esteemed as agents of microbial decomposition and soil nutrient cycles.

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Centipedes have maxillipeds with which they attack prey. These are the venomous modified legs of the centipede’s first segment and can be used in defense, as well. A centipede bite can kill small prey, but typically is not life threatening to humans. In the absence of stinging structures, millipedes employ defensive secretions in order to protect themselves from predators. These secretions are produced by their segmental defensive glands. A millipede will also curl its body as a defense mechanism.

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While centipedes sometimes bite humans, it is rare that their venom will produce a severe reaction. However, small children and those with other insect allergies should be watched carefully following a centipede bite. In the event of bite-related medical concerns, a medical professional should be contacted at once.

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Differences in Habitat

Centipedes and millipedes prefer moist, protected outdoor habitats such as rotting logs, leaves, bark and the undersides of stones.

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What Are Centipedes and Millipedes Classified As?

Although they resemble insects, centipedes and millipedes both are classified as arthropods. Insects have three body segments. Centipedes and millipedes have many segments. Insects have three pair of legs but centipedes have one pair of legs on each body segment. Millipedes have two pair of legs per body segment.