Centipede/millipede scat in Michigan garden

(NE Michigan )

There are areas of the garden with tiny round balls of earth (like mini scat) which we have written off as worm castings. Upon close inspection, these are not worm castings--larger and greater in quantity at each spot. A visitor from Texas told us they were centipede scat. While centipedes eat insects, millipedes are known to gnaw on roots, etc. Centipedes -- 2 pair legs per segment, etc. We have yet to catch any. They are widespread in our several gardens. Are we in peril???

Doug says, "Are we in peril?" Generally speaking, unless you live in Japan, a centipede bite is about the same level of concern as a bee sting. So if you're allergic to them, or a very small chlld you're in trouble - otherwise, it's a painful sting but that's about the extent of it.

The really good news is that they're a lot more afraid of you than you are of them and will hide away at the mere suggestion of large person/animal movement.

Re id - Centipedes are usually tan or light brownish in color, long-legged, move pretty quidkly and are rarely found in large numbers. You're not going to see them easily.

Millipedes are blackish, thinner - more rounded and curl up when touched or threatened. Crush one and you won't forget the smell. You'll see a ton of these guys in wet years when the ground is wet.

So having a lot of centipedes around to produce lots of scat would be a very unusual event. And having a lot of worm castings might very well be possible on a dampish season where soil will ball up and expand nicely in the continued damp.

But again, centipedes are pretty much everywhere and unless you go looking for them, they surely aren't looking for you.