Centipedes & Millipedes

Why Telling Them Apart Matters

Knowing whether you are dealing with a centipede or a millipede is the first step toward effective control. Although the two look alike at a glance, they behave differently, live in different places, and call for different management methods. Correctly identifying which one has moved into your home leads to a safer, more efficient approach to protecting your living space.

What Are Centipedes?

Centipedes are venomous predators in the class Chilopoda, equipped with many legs (though rarely exactly 100). They hunt insects and other small creatures, injecting venom to subdue their prey. They are not usually aggressive toward people, but their bites can be quite painful, especially from larger species, and some individuals may have severe allergic reactions to the venom. Most are reddish-orange or brown, and the familiar house centipede stands out with long legs and dark brown stripes along its segmented body. House centipedes run about an inch to an inch and a half, while some soil centipedes can reach nearly eight inches.

What Are Millipedes?

Millipedes, scientifically Diplopoda, are arthropods with two pairs of jointed legs on most of their segments. The majority are detritivores that feed on decaying plant material like rotting leaves, so they rarely trouble people directly, though they can become pests in homes and gardens and may damage young plants in greenhouses. They resemble tiny earthworms, carry anywhere from 40 to 400 pairs of legs (some species top 750 legs), and are usually brown or black, ranging from about a tenth of an inch to over five inches in length.

Centipedes vs. Millipedes

The key differences come down to legs and body shape. Millipedes have two pairs of legs per segment, tucked directly beneath the body, and a rounded profile, moving slowly in a wave-like motion. Centipedes have a single pair of legs per segment positioned out to the sides, a flatter body, and quick, darting movements as they hunt. As for danger, centipedes can bite, causing pain, swelling, and temporary numbness, while millipedes do not bite but can secrete a defensive fluid that irritates skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.

Life Cycle and Diet

Both start as eggs but develop differently. Centipede larvae resemble small adults and grow through molting over several weeks to months, typically living one to six years. Millipedes grow more slowly, adding body segments and legs with each molt over months to a couple of years, and tend to live longer, from two to over ten years. Centipedes are strict carnivores, preying on silverfish, spiders, crickets, moths, and even other centipedes, while millipedes are omnivores that prefer dead or decaying plants but will eat live plants or dead animals if needed.

Habitats and Signs of Infestation

Centipedes favor damp, dark spots, often hiding under stones, mulch, and wood piles outdoors or in bathrooms, closets, and basements indoors. Millipedes prefer moist outdoor soil and migrate inside when the ground turns cold and hard, usually staying on lower floors. Signs of an infestation include live sightings in damp areas, shed skins, tiny pellet-like droppings, egg clusters in dark corners, an uptick in other insects that centipedes feed on, and unusual odors from decaying plant matter.

How Aegis Controls Centipedes and Millipedes

Finding these many-legged arthropods indoors is unsettling, but they are very manageable. The participating providers in our network can identify the species at work and apply targeted treatments tailored to the specific behaviors and habitats of centipedes and millipedes, helping you reclaim your space and keep these pests out. Call (855) 560-1396 for reliable, professional support.