Centipede
Predator
Centipedes are fast, many-legged predators that live in damp, dark garden places. They are useful decomposer-community neighbours, hunting small invertebrates among soil, leaf litter and dead wood. Although they may look alarming when uncovered, they are usually shy and help make a garden's ground layer more balanced and biologically active.
How to identify it
Garden centipedes commonly measure 10-50 mm, though size and colour vary from pale yellow-brown to reddish brown or dark grey. Their flattened, segmented bodies have one pair of legs per segment, unlike millipedes, which have two pairs and move more slowly. Eggs are laid in sheltered soil or crevices. Young resemble smaller adults and add segments as they grow; there is no caterpillar or pupa stage.
How it helps your garden
Centipedes prey on small insects, springtails, fly larvae, insect eggs, tiny slugs and other soft-bodied creatures in soil and litter. They help regulate populations around plant roots, compost and mulch without damaging living plants. Their presence also indicates that a garden offers useful moisture, cover and organic matter for a wider range of beneficial wildlife.
How to attract it
Retain damp leaf litter, log piles, stones, bark mulch, compost edges and dense planting where centipedes can hide safely. Water the soil sensibly in dry periods rather than leaving every bed bare and baked. Leave some wild corners and avoid turning all organic material at once. Include single flowers through the season, select RHS Plants for Pollinators, and avoid pesticides that disrupt soil life and prey.
Tips
Centipedes are best left alone when found under a pot or log. Replace their cover after moving it, and avoid exposing damp refuges to direct sun for long. They are predators, not plant pests, and belong in a healthy soil community.
Centipede: frequently asked questions
How does centipede help the garden?
Centipedes prey on small insects, springtails, fly larvae, insect eggs, tiny slugs and other soft-bodied creatures in soil and litter.
How do I attract centipede to my garden?
Retain damp leaf litter, log piles, stones, bark mulch, compost edges and dense planting where centipedes can hide safely.
How do I identify centipede?
Garden centipedes commonly measure 10-50 mm, though size and colour vary from pale yellow-brown to reddish brown or dark grey.
General guidance for encouraging wildlife in UK gardens. Page updated 19 Sep 2026.