OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES FACT SHEET
ENT-50-14
Centipedes
David J. Shetlar and Jennifer E. Andon, Department of Entomology
Centipedes (Latin, = hundred foot) are exclusively
predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda
(Latin, = fang foot). Centipedes are unusual among
the arthropods (insects, spiders, etc.) because their
exoskeletons lack the waxy coating that helps to
retain water inside the body. Centipedes require moist
environments to survive. Outdoors, centipedes thrive
in soil, leaf litter, under rocks and inside dead wood
or logs. The house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata
(order Scutigerimorpha), can live its entire life indoors,
and it is often found in basements and bathrooms. Most
home-invading centipedes are encountered in buildings
and homes after spring warm-up and in the fall when
cooler temperatures encourage them to seek shelter.
They have a frightening appearance but are generally
considered harmless. Large species (larger than two
inches long) can bite with their front “fang legs” but this
is very infrequent and generally resulting in short-lasting
swelling or pain. Centipedes are essential predators in
our ecosystem, feeding on numerous other arthropods.
Stone centipedes are very common in Ohio, have
only 15 pairs of legs as adults, and they belong to the
order Lithobiomorpha. They are aggressive predators,
commonly found living under rocks. These arthropods
have lost their compound eyes, or sometimes, have
no eyes at all. Soil centipedes (order Geophilomorpha)
Stone Centipede
Soil Centipede
are very slender, have 29 pairs of legs or more, are
completely blind, and are most commonly encountered
when digging in the soil.
The large centipedes (order Scolopendromorpha)
are relatively rare in Ohio, but can be found in southern
Ohio forests. In Ohio, we have a couple of species that
can get over three inches in length (tropical species can
be over a foot in length) and can bite if handled. Large
centipedes have 21–23 pairs of legs.
Large Centipede
Identification
Centipedes are typically reddish-brown, flattened,
elongated animals with many segments, most of which
have a single pair of legs. Although the name suggests
that centipedes have a hundred legs, these arthropods
typically have 15 to over 30 pairs of legs. Often, each
pair of legs is longer than the pair before it, reducing
the chance that they will overlap and collide. The legs
of centipedes are attached to the side of the trunk
segments, which allows for them to run much faster
than millipedes that have their legs attached under the
body. The first pair of legs have been rotated forward
so that they rest around the mouth. Each leg is modified
by ending in a hollow claw that is attached to a poison
gland. These are used to grab prey and quickly subdue
them with toxins.
The house centipede is unusual by having very long
legs. They are yellowish-grey with three dark, long stripes
down the back. The legs are marked with alternating
light and dark bands. The actual body length can range
from about an inch to two inches, but the 15 pairs of
very long legs makes them appear much larger. The
last pair of legs can be more than twice its body length
and are used as a kind of rear-facing antennae. A pair
of very long slender antennae extends forward from the
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Centipedes—page 2
head. House centipedes, unlike
other centipedes,
have well-developed faceted
eyes. They move
very rapidly and
when struck, the
legs are easHouse Centipede
ily detached.
Detached legs will wiggle for several minutes which
can be very disturbing to the average person.
Life Cycle and Habits
Centipedes are generalist predators, preying on
insects, spiders and other small arthropods. They are
considered to be beneficial but are often considered
nuisance pests when they invade homes and buildings.
Their long legs allow them to run swiftly to capture prey
or escape when disturbed. Centipedes are mostly nocturnal and may inhabit many types of habitats including
forests, deserts and caves. Centipedes are long-lived,
most capable of surviving from three to seven years.
They overwinter as adults and lay eggs in the spring.
Centipedes do not copulate for reproduction. The female
centipede collects the spermatophore deposited by the
male, often after he performs a courtship dance. Females
deposit up to 60 eggs in moist, hidden areas. Females
often curl about their egg mass to protect them from
other arthropods. Eggs may take up to three months to
hatch. Young centipedes look like the adults, but often
have fewer pairs of legs upon hatching. There may be
five or more immature stages with the number of legs
increasing with each molt.
These arthropods are able to survive both inside
and out, but prefer to move indoors when outside
temperatures become unfavorable. Only the house
centipede has been known to inhabit buildings year
round where they feed primarily on spiders and cockroaches. Stone and soil centipedes are able to enter
buildings through expansion cracks, through floor
drains and around plumbing fixtures, as well as other
small imperfections in the structure. They hide under
cardboard, baseboards and in other damp, cool areas
of the house. Most stone and soil centipedes die rather
rapidly inside dry buildings.
Control Measures
Prevention
Generally, centipedes do not occur in large numbers
indoors, and are actually considered beneficial because
they capture spiders and other house-dwelling arthropods. Large numbers of centipedes indoors may indicate
that other arthropods used for food are in high numbers.
By monitoring with sticky traps, you can observe which
and how many arthropods are present in your home.
Removing harborage is one of the key components in
reducing centipede numbers in and around your home.
Keep old boards, rotting wood, compost piles, grass
clippings, leaves, stones, etc., away from the house
foundation. If practical, remove trash or leaf litter in a
strip three feet wide surrounding the house foundation, allowing the soil surface to be exposed to air and
sunlight. Maintain foundation expansion joints and seal
around lower windows and doors. Inspect for cracks and
crevices in foundation walls and use sealants to block
these potential entry points.
Properly ventilate basements and subfloor crawlspaces to eliminate excess moisture. A dehumidifier may
be useful. Indoors, control nuisance insect populations to
reduce the food source (prey) of centipedes. Centipedes
can be collected by broom and dustpan, vacuum cleaner
or other mechanical means and discarded.
Pesticides
Most centipedes are susceptible to commonly used
insecticides. Sticky traps can be used to determine if
you have a centipede problem. Try to determine where
the centipedes are coming in and first try to seal the
entrance place. If necessary, apply a preventive barrier of
insecticide in a band (18–36 inches) around the foundation of the house or building. This is called a perimeter
application. Granular formulations often seem to provide
longer residual activity than sprays. If the label allows,
repeat applications at intervals (14–28 days is often
recommended) listed on the instructions. Indoor spot
treatments are generally not required or recommended.
Total release aerosols (so-called “bug bombs”) are also
ineffective against centipedes as these products do not
leave behind any active residues and they rarely reach the
cracks or crevices where centipedes are hiding. Always
read the label and follow directions and safety precautions.
This fact sheet is a revision of HYG-2067.
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