Being Autumn now I've seen the usual increase in house centipedes...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scutigera_coleoptrata

...but I was shocked to see half a dozen run out of my chc mixture when I submerged it in it's bi-weekly fertilizer bath. After doing some research I found that they like damp, dark organic material, so it's no surprise that they like chc, but the more surprising thing is that they actually may be beneficial to the plant as they eat alot of critters that can cause problems for citrus trees. Too bad they give me the creeps in a serious way.

Anyway, has anyone else noticed these in their chc mixtures? And if so what, if anything, did you do about it?

I’ve seen those at a friend’s apartment. At the time we did not know what they were and they do look different. I eventually found out what they were and if the source was correct read that the government in some government housing projects released them to keep the cockroach population down. My friend’s apartment was previously government housing.

Oh my God!
I'll move if I will ever see that in my house. )

When I see centipedes in my greenhouse, I alway leave them alone. The are voracious eaters of problem insects. Centipedes are beneficial. Earwigs are another issue, as they eat the root hairs, and I kill them every time I see them. - Millet (1,1970(

Good stuff to know about centipedes and earwigs. Glad to know I can keep on killing the earwigs.

On a random note regaurding centipiedes, I have family that live down in Puerto Rico and they actually have poisonous centipedes down there that can grown to be over a foot long! If I'm not mistaken it is the only bug or creature you have to worry about down there in terms of poisonousness (not sure if that's a real word). The first time I went down there my uncle showed me a 750 ml bottle of Bacardi that he had put three of them inside to preserve (and show folks that have never been to PR before) and they just about took up the entire bottle. Those things are creepy beyond belief and if you get bit by one you'll probably be knock uncounscious for a few days (infants/elderly and those with weak immune systems run a slight risk of death). That all said that is just about the only poisonous creature on the island (snakes included I believe). I hope this is doesn't deter anyone from visiting the enchanted island! It really is a beautiful country! (and yes I know it's technically a territory...)

Joe

I always enjoy watching meerkats demolishing those creepy African centipedes!

Joe, the insects in Puerto Rico are not centipedes at all, they are in the same family as centipede, but they are actually Millipedes. - Millet (1,196-)

Hmmm, well it's ashame I can't keep them in my pot for the winter, but I don't want them running around the house. I guess what I can do is instead of killing them I can just get them out before I bring the pot inside so they can run free.

I used to live in an apartment that was infested with those things. If I'd wake up at night I'd always see four or five of them hanging out on the walls. Creeped me out at first but I got used to it and learning that they can't hurt people and are at the top of the house pest food chain got me to leave them alone. I never did find out what I was infested with other than them that was their food source. I figured there had to be something because there were so many centipedes, but I never saw another bug, not even spiders in that place.

You may be right about that Millet, my family down there always calls them giant centipedes (scolopendra centipede I'm pretty sure). We might be thinking of different bugs though.

Okay, the only thing I got out of this conversation was: What a waste of Bacardi! Barbara

I came across those millipedes when I was researching the centipedes and they're terrifying. If I ever saw one of those in my house I would probably just pass out. I love the tropics but why do the bugs have to be so big?