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A Leggy Predator: What Do Centipedes Eat?

November 5th, 2009 Posted in Centipedes & Millipedes

Centipedes are creepy and crawly and will probably make your skin do just that. And why not? They’re fast and have tons of legs. And they’re predators. But don’t worry, you’re too big to be their prey.

This article will explore:

• What centipedes eat
• How centipedes kill prey
• Why centipedes are beneficial

What centipedes eat

So what exactly do centipedes eat?

Well, centipedes are predatory, which means they eat mobile prey. They usually stick to small insects and other small animals. Centipedes themselves are arthropods, most of whom, such as spiders, are carnivorous.

Centipedes feed on a variety of small animals, including:

• soft bodied insects
• spiders
• slugs
• earthworms
• and even other centipedes!

Centipedes are generally small, no larger than 2 inches. However, there is one species of centipede from Trinidad that is considered a giant centipede. It is called the Scolopendra gigas and grows to be about 10 inches long and 1 inch wide. It doesn’t mess around with small insects and spiders but instead eats larger prey like mice and lizards. Yikes!

How centipedes kill prey

Centipedes kill their prey using venom. Their venom is located in glands near the first pair of legs, which act like poisonous fangs. The venom is administered to prey by maxillipeds on the first body segment.

Centipede bites aren’t fatal to humans, though they can be painful. Smaller centipedes cause a slight, localized pain much like a bee sting. Larger centipedes may cause a slightly worse reaction, such as swelling, itching, and burning at the site of the bite. Some people even experience sweating, headaches, and nausea associated with a centipede bite.

Centipede bites can be worse than other kind of insect/arthropod bites because the pain can last for several days. While the venom isn’t fatal to humans, it is stronger than some other common biters. People with allergies and small children should be closely monitored after a centipede bite.

You can avoid centipede bites by not picking them up with your bare hands, obviously. Also, avoiding jumping in or digging through piles of leaves, especially wet leaves, lessens your chance of a centipede bite. Centipedes live in moist, dark environments, so avoid sticking your hands or feet into dark cracks in walls, crawl spaces, etc. (Please keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times…)

Why centipedes are beneficial

So centipedes kind of sound like vicious arthropod monsters, don’t they?

Centipedes are actually very beneficial to the environment, and to you! Centipedes eat common pests, making them a kind of natural insect killer.

If you’re a gardener, you might consider using centipedes to keep pests out of your flower and vegetable beds. Centipedes eat slugs and small pests, including their larvae. Centipedes are a natural way to keep pests like aphids from chewing your plants! And because centipedes are carnivorous, you don’t have to worry about them destroying your plants.

House centipedes, while less appealing, are actually beneficial as well. It may seem strange to let them live in your house, but they roam around at night and eat pests like spiders. Plus, they usually leave humans alone and rarely bite. Of course, there is the risk that they will bite you and leave a red, swollen mark.

If you have a centipede problem and want to get rid of them, try sealing cracks in your foundation and other ways that they could enter your home. Keep leaves away from your home and make sure to keep basements and bathrooms moisture free. You can also use an insecticide to coat the outside of your home, like EcoSMART Ant and Roach Killer. It kills all small crawling insects. Plus, it’s made from natural ingredients like plant oils and won’t harm your pets or kids or the environment!