House Centipede Larva

Scutigera coleoptrata, also known as the house-centipede, is a species of centipede that is typically yellowish-gray and has up to 15 pairs of long legs. Originating in the Mediterranean region, it has spread to other parts of the world, where it frequently lives in and around human homes. [1] It is an insectivore, preying on insects and arachnids by envenomating them.

Their venom is not ... House centipedes feed on silverfish, firebrats, carpet beetle larvae, cockroaches, spiders, and other small arthropods. If house centipedes are seen frequently, this indicates that some prey arthropod is in abundance, and may signify a greater problem than the presence of the centipedes (Figure 3).

Figure 3. House centipede feeding on a cockroach. Read on to learn more about where house centipedes come from, what they look like, and what they eat, as well as what you can do to prevent a house centipede infestation and how to get rid of them.

Centipedes prefer to live in damp portions of basements, closets, bathrooms, unexcavated areas under the house and beneath the bark of firewood stored indoors. House centipedes feed on small insects, insect larvae, and on spiders. Thus they are beneficial, though most homeowners take a different point-of-view and consider them a nuisance.

Life Cycle of House Centipedes Gradual metamorphosis House centipedes lay an average of 60 eggs in the spring or early summer. The larva hatch with four pairs of legs and will complete 5 instars increasing the number of leg pairs they have each time 5,7,9,11, and 13 pairs. They will complete four instars after the larva stage before becoming adults.

Habits of House Centipedes Diet: Feed on ... House centipede larvae are the earliest, non-adult stage of the common house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata. Unlike their intimidating adult counterparts, the larva hatches with only three pairs of legs, giving it a surprisingly different appearance often mistaken for a spider or an insect larva.

Larvae: Larvae hatch from the eggs and have four pairs of legs when born. Adult: More legs develop as they go through six instars or stages. More Information Female house centipedes may live up to three years.

On females, the last pair of legs is also more than twice as long as the body. Do House Centipedes Bite? Larvae hatch with four pairs of legs. There are five more larval instars with 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 pairs of legs (Cloudsley-Thompson 1968).

Although house centipedes are not aggressive, and their jaws are not powerful enough to break human skin easily, they will sometimes bite in self-defense. The house centipede life stages include an egg, larva, and adult. There are six larval instars (stages between each molt) and four-post larval instars before the house centipede becomes an adult.

Newly emerged (eclosed) larvae have four pairs of legs and the number of legs increases with each successive molt. Female house centipedes can live as long as 3 years and produce between 35 and 150 eggs during their lifetimes. The first instar larvae have only four pairs of legs.