Centipedes are the things nightmares are made of. Not only do they make our skin crawl and freak us out, they are dangerous too. Who among us didn’t cringe at that scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom? I love that movie, but still close my eyes during that part. Depending on the specie, centipedes can range in size from under an inch to over 7 inches long. They can have as few pairs of legs as 15 or as many as 179 and they always have an odd number of legs. Their cousin the millipede, has 2 sets of legs per section of their body, that are connected underneath. Centipedes have only 1 set of legs per section, and they are connected to the sides of the body.
Centipedes prefer dark, wet climates and damp places, but they can also survive in desert and other dry type areas. With very few exceptions, they are found all over the world. In North America, (including here in Kansas) they have adapted to all sorts of habitats and environmental conditions. They are found in crawl spaces, basements, floor drains, cement blocks, forests and gardens. They thrive under rotted logs, rocks or potted plants. Even caves, thousands of feet below ground or underwater can be home to the centipede.
Centipedes are carnivorous and venomous, they sting their prey and inject venom until death with clawed pointy legs on the first segment of their bodies. Centipede venom produces a variety of dangerous toxins. The bites are typically not fatal, but can be extremely painful to humans. The bigger the centipede the worse the pain and reaction will be. The toxic venom can cause severe allergic reactions in people, especially people with an existing allergy to bees and wasps. This can cause significant cardiovascular neurologic effects. Make no mistake if stepped on, handled or made to feel threatened a centipede will react aggressively and bite.
Centipede bites look like two puncture marks and will be painful, red and extremely swollen where the venom was injected into the skin. This can last a couple days or over a week. Other symptoms of an allergic reaction include fever, nausea, chills, itching, swollen lymph nodes and even heart palpitations. See a doctor if you suspect you are having a severe reaction to a centipede bite. Although extremely rare, there have been reports of anaphylaxis due to a centipede bite and in one case the bite resulted in a fatality. If you see or suspect centipedes in or around your Wichita home, call All Star Pest Control immediately! 316-854-3096
