<P> House centipedes live anywhere from three to seven years, depending on the environment . They can start breeding in their third year . To begin mating, the male and female circle around each other . They initiate contact with their antennae . The male deposits his sperm on the ground and the female then uses it to fertilize her eggs . </P> <P> House centipedes feed on spiders, bed bugs, termites, cockroaches, silverfish, ants, and other household arthropods . They administer venom through forcipules . These are not part of their mandibles, so strictly speaking they sting rather than bite . They are mostly nocturnal hunters . Despite their developed eyes, they seem to rely mostly on their antennae when hunting . Their antennae are sensitive to both smells and tactile information . They use both their mandibles and their legs for holding prey . This way they can deal with several small insects at the same time . To capture prey they either jump onto it or use their legs in a technique described as "lassoing". Using their legs to beat prey has also been described . </P> <P> In a feeding study, S. coleoptrata showed the ability to distinguish between possible prey, avoiding dangerous insects . They also adapted their feeding pattern to the type of hazard the prey might pose to them . For wasps, they retreat after applying the venom to give it time to take effect . When the centipede is in danger of becoming prey itself, it can detach any legs that have become trapped . House centipedes have been observed to groom their legs by curling around and grooming them with their forcipules . </P> <P> In 1902, C.L. Marlatt, an entomologist with the United States Department of Agriculture, wrote a brief description of the house centipede: </P>

What is a brown bug with lots of legs