BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR Centipedes are arthropods that are marked by having a single pair of legs per body segment. They are general flattened and elongate in form. Centipedes move fast and are predators of insects and other arthropods. Utah centipedes rarely invade homes, preferring to be outdoors and remain under cover during the day. Household invasions by centipedes are restricted since they do not reproduce or survive long in most homes.
An exception is the house centipede that is better at colonizing homes. Legs of the house centipede are very long, allowing it to crawl and climb fast. House centipedes survive in low numbers in many homes as long as live prey such as insects and spiders are available. It is said, if you kill a centipede, you will soon see other insects in your home such as spiders and earwigs.
CENTIPEDE CONTROL METHODS Centipede movements into homes can be reduced by removing sheltering debris from around homes and by applying a pesticide around the building foundation.