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Centipedes and Millipedes
Centipedes and millipedes are outdoor inhabitants which sometimes enter homes. These arthropods frequently become nuisance pests in damp, dark areas such as basements.
DESCRIPTION
Both centipedes and millipedes resemble worms with many legs. Centipedes are able to move rapidly while millipedes are relatively slower.
Centipedes are generally reddish-brown, flat, multi-legged animals. They have an elongated appearance with one pair of legs attached to each body segment. Antennae are long and the first pair of legs is modified into poisonous jaws. The common house centipede is approximately 1 inch long and has 15 pairs of conspicuous long legs. The antennae and pair of legs on the terminal segment are each twice the length of the body. House centipedes are gray in color and the legs appear to be banded.
Millipedes are grayish-brown or black worm-like animals with two pairs of legs on each body segment and one pair of short antennae. Their legs are relatively short and appear to ripple as they move over a surface. They often curl up into a tight C-shape and will remain motionless when disturbed. Millipedes range from 1 to 4 inches in length.
LIFE HISTORY AND HABITS
Centipedes and millipedes are related to crustaceans (shrimp and crayfish) and require moist habitats and relatively high humidities. Centipedes may survive for six years or more. Adults which have survived the winter lay eggs or give birth to living young in the soil. The house centipede will also lay eggs indoors. They prefer dark, damp areas and are most active at night. Centipedes are beneficial: they will actively seek out and prey on other household pests including cockroaches, flies, moths and spiders. They usually occur in relatively small numbers and are not harmful to man. Millipedes also overwinter as adults. Eggs are laid in the soil in the spring and early summer with the young becoming adults in late summer or early autumn. They prefer the outdoors where they feed upon plant material and the decomposing bodies of small insects and animals. Millipedes do not harm household furnishings and are incapable of biting. They are especially prevalent in areas where large amounts of organic matter have been mulched into the soil. Movements into homes usually occurs during periods of drought or when excessive moisture drives them out of their natural habitat to search for food. They are also a problem in the fall when adults are seeking sheltered areas to overwinter.
CONTROL MEASURES
Since centipedes and millipedes require adequate moisture for survival, effective control may be achieved by keeping all rooms in the household dry. Leaf litter, grass clippings, compost piles and other potential breeding areas should be kept as far away from the house as possible. All cracks, crevices and other entry ways in foundation walls, doorways and around basement windows should be sealed. Eliminate excessive moisture in basements and provide adequate ventilation when possible.
In general, insecticides are not recommended indoors for controlling millipedes. The dry conditions do not favor their survival; that is why so many of the specimens are found dead. If they die indoors on their own, why use an insecticide. The best approach is to exclude them from gaining entry and eliminate moisture problems.
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