Have you ever come across a long skinny creature with lots of legs? When most people come across a creature like that, they don’t know if it’s a centipede or a millipede. But it’s actually important to know the differences between these two arthropods, especially if you live in an area where both are common.
It’s also a good idea to learn how to get rid of centipedes and millipedes if they come into your home or infest your property. Though they are rarely dangerous to humans, there are still potential health concerns if you come into contact with them. But between prevention and pest removal services, you won’t have to worry about centipedes and millipedes anymore.
Centipedes
Physical Features
Centipedes and millipedes are similar in pretty much one way - they have long segmented bodies with lots of legs. Aside from that, they aren’t as similar as you might think. Centipedes are often a reddish-brown color (though that varies depending on the type of centipede). Their bodies are flattish, and their legs angle out away from the centipede’s body.
People often think that the name “centipede” means that the creature has 100 legs. However, even though the word does mean “100,” centipedes don’t usually have 100 legs. The best way to figure out how many legs a centipede has is to look at how many segments make up its body. Centipedes have two legs per section of their body (one on each side). So the more sections a centipede has, the more legs it has as well. That doesn’t mean that the biggest centipedes have the most legs though. Little centipedes can still have a lot of sections on their bodies.
Behaviors
Centipedes and millipedes not only look different, but they also act quite different from each other. Centipedes are predators, so they hunt down their food and kill it with their venom. They move quickly, and if you startle them, they will scurry away as fast as they can.
You could say centipedes are more aggressive than millipedes, but that doesn’t mean that centipedes are extremely aggressive. It’s more likely they’ll run away from you than that they’ll attack. This can make them hard to get rid of, so you may need to call pest removal services if you have to deal with centipedes often.
Why Centipedes are a Problem in Your Home
It’s generally agreed that centipedes are not likely to harm a human being. However, even though it’s rare for a centipede to hurt you, you still don’t want them in your home and you shouldn’t pick them up. Centipedes are venomous, and sometimes they can pierce through human skin with their front jaw-like legs. When they do this, they can transmit their venom.
Most of the time, the bite will just swell up a bit and feel like a bee sting. Not fun, but not serious. However, some people are allergic to the venom, and if they are bitten, they need medical care immediately or their life could be in danger. Because the bites are so rare, most people don’t know if they are allergic or not. So you need to keep a close eye on anyone who’s been bitten by a centipede for the first time to make sure they aren’t having an allergic reaction.
Millipedes
Physical Features
Millipedes are long and segmented, but they are thick and round instead of flat. They sort of look like worms with legs. Millipedes have four legs per body section (two on each side), so they’re likely to have more legs than a centipede. The easiest way to tell a millipede from a centipede quickly is to look at the legs. While centipedes have long legs that reach out and away from their bodies, millipedes have short legs tucked directly under their bodies.
Most millipedes that you’ll find in your home will be gray or black, but millipedes can come in lots of different colors, so you could see a millipede that is a completely different color. You’re also most likely to see millipedes in your home that are fairly small - only a couple inches long. However, millipedes can grow much longer than that. Some species can reach up to a foot long.
Behaviors
Millipedes act quite differently from centipedes. Rather than rushing around hunting, millipedes eat decaying plants and take things a little slower. If they are threatened, they don’t run away - they curl up in a little ball.
You’re most likely to find millipedes in dark, moist places. Because they eat decaying plants, they need moisture to get the food they need. Darkness is also the best environment for them to find their food. If a millipede does end up in your home, there’s a good chance it won’t live long because your home will likely be too dry and light for them. But if there is a place in your home that is dark and damp, millipedes may very well decide to live there.
Why Millipedes are a Problem in Your Home
Millipedes are typically less concerning than centipedes when they come into your home because they aren’t venomous like centipedes are. They do come with their own set of problems though.
You shouldn’t pick up a millipede if at all possible, and if you do have to pick it up, use gloves. Millipedes release defensive chemicals when threatened, and though sometimes those chemicals aren’t harmful to humans, other times they can cause painful skin irritation. And that’s not something you or your kids want to deal with. That’s where pest removal services can be helpful.
How Pest Removal Services Can Help With Centipedes and Millipedes
You can probably handle an occasional small centipede or millipede. But if you come across them frequently in your home and yard then there’s one thing that you’ll want to do with both centipedes and millipedes - call pest removal services. These professionals can help you get rid of centipedes and millipedes that are taking over your property, and they can set up preventative treatment barriers that will help keep the pests from coming into your home in the first place.
