Centipedes

There are several hundred species of centipedes in the U. S., but most of them are very small and belong to two groups. They are the stone centipedes (Lithobiomorpha) and the soil centipedes (Geophilomorpha). Stone centipedes are about an inch long and have 15 pair of legs. Soil centipedes aren’t much longer and have upwards of 40 pair of legs. Neither group is capable of biting people. Both are common in yards and feed on small bugs including some pests, so they can be considered beneficial. House centipedes (Scutigera coleoptrata) are about an inch long and have 15 pair of very long legs. They are common almost everywhere and are often found in homes. They rarely bite and they do feed on such pests as spiders, bed bugs, termites, cockroaches, ants and silverfish, so they should probably be welcome in the home.

The desert centipede (Scolopendra polymorpha) is most common throughout the west with the exception of Washington. It is about three or four inches long. The green centipede (Scolopendra viridis) is found in the mountainous areas of New Mexico, Arizona, southeastern Colorado, Utah and extreme southern Nevada. It is only a couple of inches long. The giant desert centipede (Scolopendra heros) is found in the southern and eastern portions of New Mexico, much of Arizona and the extreme southeast portion of Colorado. This species can reach a length of 6.5 inches and is capable of killing and eating mice. All of the Scolopendra have painful bites but they are not dangerous.

Centipedes are usually found in areas of moisture such as loose bark, in rotting logs, under stones, boards, railroad ties, trash, piles of leaves and grass clippings and similar areas. They are active at night and hide by day in the earth, wandering forth by night to hunt. They occasionally invade structures and will feed on cockroaches, cricket, spiders, etc. Although they may be found anywhere in a building, including beds, the usual places are damp basements, bathrooms, and any crawl space under the home or building. Pest proofing your home is the best way to keep them out. In the yard you can eliminate many potential harborage sites for centipedes such as rocks, boards, and other objects resting on the soil.

If you have any pest questions, you can contact me via email at askthebugman2013@gmail.com