8 Bugs That Look Like Centipedes (But They Aren't) (2023)

FAQs

What bug looks like a centipede but isn t? ›

Pill bugs, or roly polies as they are commonly called, are sometimes confused with centipedes. They require high moisture to survive, so you are most likely to see them under debris rather than out in the open. Pill bugs and their non-curling relatives, the sow bugs, are completely harmless.

In general appearance, centipedes superficially resemble millipedes. However, there are important differences. Centipedes have one pair of legs per body segment; millipedes appear to have two pairs on most segments. A centipede's legs are usually quite prominent.

Pauropods

Pauropods are small millipede-like arthropods, comprising around eight hundred and thirty species. They live in leaf mold and in the soil. They look similar to centipedes. Due to their living hidden under the soil or leaf litter, they are seldom observed.

Some people confuse millipedes with centipedes, which look somewhat similar. Centipedes have only one pair of legs per body segment (Figure 2) and the legs are usually longer than those on millipedes. Centipedes also tend to move about more quickly than millipedes.

If you see tiny centipede-like bugs in the soil of your vegetable patch, they are likely garden symphylans. Though they are sometimes called garden centipedes, garden symphylans are not true centipedes, though they are related. They're not insects; instead, they're myriapods.

Millipede. We begin with the leggiest bug on the list — the millipede. Often referred to as “thousand-leggers,” millipedes generally have anywhere from 30-90+ pairs of legs.

The insect in question is Scutigera coleoptrata, more commonly known as the house centipede. The first thing you need to do is relax. The only way the house centipede is dangerous is if you happen to be another insect such as a bed bug, cockroach, spider, termite, silverfish or other pest.

Water bugs are large, with some species reaching 4″. Their body shape is flat, oval, and tan or brown in color. Unlike roaches, water bugs have clawed front feet, a piercing mouth, and short antennae. Waterbugs have wings in an x-shape.

Place cornmeal in a small sealable plastic container and cut a small hole into the bottom edge. Place the cornmeal trap next to young plants, and the pill bugs will be attracted to the cornmeal and eat it. The bugs will not be able to digest the cornmeal, and they'll die.

What you do notice about millipedes is their size (1 to 1/14 inch) their color (very dark brown), their shiny, hard shell (crunchy), their long, cylindrical shape and their habit of curling into a coil when disturbed, handled or when they are dead. Millipedes are harmless.

What does a baby centipede look like? ›

Baby centipedes are almost identical to adult centipedes. Whether fully grown or recently hatched, all centipedes have a similar flat, oval shape. Regardless of age, the insect's body is brownish-yellow in color with black stripes down the back.

House centipedes have dark bands along their legs, whereas silverfish normally have legs that appear to be silver or gray. Centipede legs are much longer than silverfish legs. Silverfish have 3 appendages that look like legs that extend out from the abdomen and centipedes do not have these.

Have you spotted a tiny fish-looking insect that's silver in color and has several legs, that's suddenly jumped out of your closet or book shelves? That's a silverfish bug! Nowhere near a fish, but it's called Silverfish because it looks like one.

The thousand-legger does have venom which it uses to stun its prey, but bites to humans are rare. If it does bite a human, it is not harmful and will cause a small amount of localized pain and a little swelling at the site.

Horsehair or gordian worms are long, slender worms related to nematodes. When they are immature, they are parasites of insects, arthropods and other invertebrate animals. They are harmless to people in all stages of their lives. They are considered beneficial as they control other insects.

Millipedes are those long black bugs with what seems like a million tiny legs that you see crawling in your bedroom windows and that curl into a tight ball when threatened. They won't bite you, but they can emit a smelly fluid that might irritate your eyes or skin.

Millipedes are NOT harmful to humans. They do not feed on buildings, structures, or furnishings. They also cannot bite or sting. In fact, they can be beneficial in your compost pile as they help to break down the contents.

Smaller centipedes deliver very little venom. Their bites may be comparable to bee stings in terms of pain. Larger centipedes may deliver more venom, causing intense pain. Pain, redness, and swelling begin immediately upon being bitten.

Bites Are Rare

Unless provoked to defend themselves, house centipedes rarely bite people or pets and mostly prefer trying to escape threatening situations. Also, although house centipede venom is not as toxic as some other centipede species and their bites rarely cause any serious effects.

If you're seeing millipedes in your home, it means that the conditions outside have driven them in. This might be extended drought conditions that have made it too dry outside. It might be an oversaturation of the soil around your home caused by heavy rain. It might be due to a dropping of the temperature outside.

Where do house centipedes lay eggs? ›

The House Centipede will prefer to live in damp areas such as cellars, closets, bathrooms. They can also be found in attics (during the warmer months) and unexcavated areas under the house. Eggs are laid in these same damp places and behind baseboards or beneath bark on firewood.

You can use a broom and dustpan to sweep them up and dump them in a bucket of soapy water to kill them; or you can just vacuum them up with a vacuum cleaner or shop vac and dispose of them outside.

Generally speaking, centipedes are not harmful to human health. They feed off far nastier bugs such as termites and cockroaches. In a sense, they are the “good guys”.

Centipedes may enter houses and buildings, but they do not roam during daytime. Centipedes are fast moving, agile, nocturnal animals. They hide in damp areas around bathrooms, closets, basements and other sites typically infested by pests.

There can be swelling around the bite, and some victims may experience nausea, sweating and the swelling of lymph nodes following an attack. Centipedes should not be handled since they may bite. Small children and those with known allergies should be observed carefully after a centipede bite.

They can be found living in damp areas of the house, like basements, closets, and bathrooms. Sometimes they can even be found in tubs and sinks. During the warmer months, they may also be found in attics and crawl spaces. They are most active at night and hide during the day in floor drains or under cardboard boxes.

They look like cockroaches because they technically are cockroaches, the American Cockroach. They're reddish brown and get as big as 1.5 inches if not a little larger. Both male and female palmetto bugs have wings although they're used mostly for gliding. Palmetto bugs are almost always in groups.

Water roaches are a group of roaches known as peridomestic cockroaches—a type of insect that primarily lives outside. In certain regions of the country, these cockroaches have acquired “water roach” as a sort of catch-all nickname (along with “palmetto bugs,” too).

Oriental Roaches (Blatta orientalis) are commonly called "water bugs" or "black cockroaches." They live in damp locations such as basements and around floor drains; they are associated with water. Outside, they live near foundations, crawlspaces, yards, and retaining walls. They feed on filth and decaying matter.

Pesticide sprays, granules and baits can help control pillbugs outdoors. Permethrin insecticide is more effective than acephate (Orthene) or carbaryl (Sevin) sprays. Other pyrethroid insecticides, such as cyfluthrin, esfenvalerate or lambda-cyhalothrin should also provide control.

Can pill bugs infest your house? ›

They often invade crawl spaces, damp basements and first floors of houses at ground level. Frequent sightings of these pests indoors usually means that there are large numbers breeding on the outside, close to the foundation. Typically however, if pill bugs enter a structure, they will often dry out and die.

The presence of these pests in the house usually points to an outdoor infestation, as large populations may move indoors looking for alternative food and shelter. Yards with excessive moisture and debris often harbor pill bugs. Heavy rainfall during spring and early summer can also drive them inside.

Ghost Worms were large, snake like worms that lived in the Caves of Doom on Planet Doom and always moved together in groups. Like many ghosts, they were under the command of Prime Evil.

The Cabbage looper is the larvae of a moth, and the Cabbage Worm, the larvae of a buPerfly. The adult moths and buPerflies don't do any damage, but the caterpillars chew ragged holes in the leaves of the plants. Cabbage worms may also tunnel into the head of a cabbage, broccoli, or cauliflower.

Centipedes do not go through a metamorphosis like many other bugs. Instead, they go through a series of moults. With each moult, certain species develop more body segments and functionality until they are fully mature. Other species develop all of their legs as embryos and simply grow larger through their moults.

Centipedes feed on home-invading species like cockroaches and spiders, so an abundance of prey often lures these pests into homes. Residents may find centipedes in cement block walls, boxes, clutter on the floor, or floor drains. The warmth and safety of a heated home may also attract centipedes inside to reproduce.

Unlike many pests, house centipedes will reproduce and lay eggs indoors, so it's especially important to address infestations quickly.

Tea tree oil or Peppermint oil are overwhelming to centipedes. Add 25 drops of either essential oil into a spray bottle with 6 ounces of water. Spray around door frames, windows, small cracks and basement doors. Repeat once a week to keep centipedes away.

Why Do Centipedes Live in Bathrooms? Centipedes can't survive in the cold, so they move inside homes to avoid harsh winter weather. The pests also lack the ability to retain moisture, leading them to seek out damp areas such as basements and bathrooms.

Like cockroaches, silverfish can trigger allergic reactions in some people, but are primarily nuisance pests that don't bite and are not likely to spread pathogens that cause disease. However, they can contaminate food, damage paper goods and stain clothing, so you definitely don't want them hanging around your home.

What does a Firebrat bug look like? ›

Firebrat adults grow to be ½ inch long, with greyish brown scales on their tapered, thin bodies. The variance in color on their tiny, carrot-shaped bodies produces a speckled or mottled look to their scales, often with a slight sheen.

Those creepy pests are called silverfish. They come rightly by their name—they have silver bodies that are flat and can be 1/2 to 1 inch in length and when they move they do so in a fish-like motion.

Drugstore beetles are tiny brown bugs that are attracted to stored products such as grains, seeds, and packaged food products. (They're also called bread or biscuit beetles, which may be a more fitting name when considering their diet.)

Outdoors, centipedes prefer to live in cool, dark places that shield them from dehydration and excessive cold. These areas are frequently under large rocks, wood piles, and in compost. They find their way into home during times of inclement or harsh weather conditions.

Even if you remove the dead centipede, you still have to clean up the fluids. The internal fluids can attract other insect-eating creatures and centipedes. If you kill a centipede using DE and leave it there, then other carnivorous insects would be attracted to it.

In homes, the house centipede will prefer to live in damp areas such as cellars, closets, bathrooms, attics (during the warmer months) and unexcavated areas under the house. Eggs are laid in these same damp places, as well as behind baseboards or beneath bark on firewood.

They're thin and white, and about one-quarter to one-half inch long -- about as long as a staple. Tapeworms are flat worms that look a bit like ribbons. Their bodies are made up of segments, and each segment is about the size of a grain of rice.

Humans become infected when blackflies deposit Onchocerca infective larvae into the skin when biting to extract blood. Once inside the human body, the larvae mature into adults in approximately 12–18 months. Most adult female worms live in fibrous nodules under the skin and sometimes near muscles and joints.

The larvae resemble very large mealworms, about 50 to 60 mm (1.7–2.25 in) long when full size, but unlike mealworms, the ends of their bodies are very dark, almost resembling a black color. Once they reach adult size, the larvae pupate, and later emerge as large, light coloured beetles, which in time darken to black.

What do night worms look like? ›

The night crawler (Lumbricus terrestris) is a large worm, measuring up to 25 cm in length and up to 1 cm in diameter. They have a distinct, darker coloured "head" end which does contain the primitive "brain" of the animal, and this tends to be the end of the worm that travels "forward" the most.

Parasites - Strongyloides

It is a parasitic disease caused by nematodes, or roundworms, in the genus Strongyloides. The parasites enter the body through exposed skin, such as bare feet. Strongyloides is most common in tropical or subtropical climates.

If the conditions outside become too hot, dry, or wet from heavy rain, they will sometimes find their way into your home, seeking shelter. Indoors: Millipedes are attracted to cool, damp places like the basement, crawl spaces, or the garage.

Millipedes do not lay eggs indoors since it is not their preferred habitat, said Bertone.

Nausea and vomiting may occur if you come into contact with a large number of millipedes and their toxins.

Turns out, centipedes are quite murderous little creatures, spending most of their day hunting for and eating their prey. Thankfully, house centipedes are frankly too afraid of humans and do not actively seek them out as any sort of prey. So don't panic; you and your family have nothing to worry about.

Abstract. Arthropods may become lodged inside the ear and cause considerable emotional and physical trauma. Cases of centipedes being lodged in the external auditory canal have rarely been reported. In this article, we present the case of woman who had a centipede lodged inside her right external auditory canal.

You may hardly notice it, or you might feel a lot of pain from the scratch, depending on your body's reaction. Some people think centipede bites are like bee stings. Besides swelling, blisters, and pain, some other symptoms of centipede bites to look out for include: Redness around the bite.

Pill bugs, or roly polies as they are commonly called, are sometimes confused with centipedes. They require high moisture to survive, so you are most likely to see them under debris rather than out in the open. Pill bugs and their non-curling relatives, the sow bugs, are completely harmless.

They are most likely to choose this kind of route when they see little alternative. So while centipedes could climb up your walls or trundle into your bed, most of the time they are much happier burrowing around in the leaf litter in your garden.

What do baby house centipedes look like? ›

Baby centipedes are almost identical to adult centipedes. Whether fully grown or recently hatched, all centipedes have a similar flat, oval shape. Regardless of age, the insect's body is brownish-yellow in color with black stripes down the back.

Millipedes, also known as “thousand leggers,” are arthropods that often make their way into our homes. Millipedes range from 2.5 to 4 cm long, are brownish in color, are long and slender, and look a lot like worms with legs.

Answer: What you may have found are carpet beetle larvae. They are characteristically brown, they may look banded with brown and pale stripes, and with long ”hairs” at the tail end. They are slow moving across walls and floors.

First, centipedes need a humid environment to survive and thrive. Without lots of humidity they will dry up and die. Knowing this there are a few things you can do right away: Inside, crank up the air conditioning and use dehumidifiers to dry them out to make your home less hospitable to these foul creatures!

During the day, they will hide in damp, dark areas. At night, they will come out to hunt for food. If they are indoors, they might run toward you or up a wall when you enter a room and turn on the light, but don't worry!

What Eats Centipedes and Millipedes? Centipedes and millipedes that make their homes outdoors are prey to shrews, toads, badgers and birds, including domestic chickens. Ground beetles, ants and spiders may also hunt young millipedes and centipedes.

While there is no set millipede season, they do go on mass migrations twice per year – once in the spring and once in the fall. These usually occur on warm, humid nights where they will emerge by the hundreds. Millipedes are outdoor pests so finding them inside your home means they have wandered in by mistake.

In most cases, you will find them along one side or wall of your home. If you notice that pattern, look around this side of the property. Inspect nearby mulch, compost piles, wood piles, large rocks, pine straw, around sheds, cracks in cement walkways or driveways and stoops.

While one or two centipedes in the basement may be acceptable, several more crawling around your bedroom and bathroom are not. We'll explain more about centipedes, when you should be concerned and the best strategies for dealing with them.

Centipedes do not hibernate. During the cooler months, they find a sheltered location to live, which could be your home – especially if other insects have the same idea. As the weather warms, they become more active.

Are house centipedes harmful? ›

House centipedes are typically thought of as nuisance pests, they don't cause harm to property and they pose no significant health risks to people. However, it is important to know that, while a centipede bite rarely happens, they are strong enough to bite a person and the bite can be quite painful.

Millipedes have two sets of legs per segment positioned directly under their body. Centipedes have one set of legs per segment positioned on the side of their body.

If the conditions outside become too hot, dry, or wet from heavy rain, they will sometimes find their way into your home, seeking shelter. Indoors: Millipedes are attracted to cool, damp places like the basement, crawl spaces, or the garage.

No, Centipedes Are Not Dangerous

And they don't have life-threatening venom like some spiders or mercilessly keep you awake all hours of the night, like crickets or mice in your wall voids.

While it may be tempting to take care of this pest on your own, that doesn't mean you should. If you only have one or two house centipedes in your home, these pests can actually be beneficial. Not only do they stay out of your way, but they can also take care of other unsavory pests, like spiders or roaches.

During the day, they rest and bide their time in dark, damp, and confined shelters. House centipedes prefer to shelter near a source of moisture and food. Their climbing ability and small bodies make virtually any opening or structure large enough to harbor a resting centipede.

House centipedes are attracted to moist interiors.

House centipedes are drawn to damp basements, crawlspaces, mudrooms and to other areas likely to have high humidity and a certain amount of debris.

Usually the only way to know you have millipedes is by seeing them scramble from one bit of shelter to the next. If you suspect you have an infestation, look for areas that contain material they may want to eat, including mulch, leaves, firewood and other plant material in various states of decomposition.

Tea tree oil and peppermint oil are the two most common for use against millipedes. Essential oils should always be diluted with water before use. Apply the oil mixture around entry points like windowsills, door gaps, basements, vents, foundation cracks, and crawlspaces.

Excess rain will drive them indoors in search of shelter and drought will drive them indoors in search of water. Once in your home, they tend to gravitate toward damp areas such as laundry rooms, basements, and crawlspaces. Millipedes will usually die fairly quickly once they get inside due to the lack of moisture.

Do house centipedes lay eggs? ›

Typical indoor centipede's reproductive cycle produces up to 35 eggs. Other species of centipedes give birth to living young. Centipedes lay their eggs in the hollows of rotting logs or in the soil. Most females will tend to their eggs and hatchlings, curling their bodies around their brood for protection.