Garden symphylan
Scutigerella immaculata
1 host plant
Last updated
Garden symphylans are small (1/8 inch), pale, centipede-like arthropods found in moist soil around strawberry plants and occasionally woody ornamentals like arbutus. You notice damage to roots, underground stems, and emerging seedlings; plants appear stunted or wilt despite adequate moisture. Symphylans prefer cool, wet soils and are most active during spring and fall. Dig into soil to find them.
Reduce soil moisture by improving drainage and avoiding frequent, light irrigation that keeps soil consistently wet. Allow soil to dry moderately between waterings. Remove organic debris from plant crowns. For severe infestations in high-value plantings, soil drenches with spinosad can suppress populations. Cultural management of soil moisture is the primary control method.
Quick Reference
Garden symphylans are sometimes called garden centipedes. When fully grown, they are not more than 8 mm in length, have 15 body segments, and 11 or 12 pair of legs. They are slender, white, with prominent antennae. They can be mistaken for springtails. Symphylan feeding on roots can damage plants. Their ability to do damage decreases as the plant ages, but their pitting can allow entry to plant pathogens. Surviving plants may be stunted with reduced yields. Damage shows up as weak spots in a...
Cultural Controls
- Many organisms feed on symphylans in the field, including true centipedes, predatory mites, ground beetles, and various fungi.
- But little is known about their effect on symphylan populations.
- Symphylan damage generally is associated with soils that are high in organic matter and have good structure.
- Symphylans do not thrive in compacted or sandy soils, as these soils do not provide tunnels for their movement.
- Symphylans cannot make their own...