The rare individuals who are bitten may experience localized swelling and pain no worse than a bee sting. The house centipede is found throughout the United States. This centipede can be found outside under stones, boards, or sticks or beneath moist leaf litter and other organic matter. When disturbed, centipedes move swiftly toward darkened hiding places. When they are found in homes, they are often found in moist basements, damp closets and in bathrooms.
Centipedes require moist habitats.
If they are plentiful, there may be an underlying moisture problem that should be corrected. Millipedes are usually brown to blackish in color. The elongated body is rounded, no flattened, and they have no poison claws or legs. Millipedes are usually restricted to moist places where they feed on organic matter. In the fall, they may become a nuisance because they migrate away from feeding areas and invade homes.