Garden Symphylan – Scutigerella immaculate

Garden Symphylan (Scutigerella immaculate) Latin Name: Scutigerella immaculate Common Name: Garden Symphylan / glasshouse symphylid Appearance:

• Garden symphylans (also called garden centipedes) are not insects; they are in their own arthropod class called the Symphyla. When full grown, they are not more than 0.33 inch long and have 15 body segments and 11 to 12 pairs of legs. They are slender, elongated, and white with prominent antennae.
• The symphylans(Scutigerella immaculata), also known as garden centipedes, are myriapods, characterised by the presence of many pairs of legs (up to 12 pairs in their last stage of development). Adults are small, 5 to 8 mm long, elongated creatures, with a brilliant white translucent colour on their soft-shelled body.
• There is a normal cyclic nature to symphylan populations during the year, with active feeding phases and less active phases when numbers appear low and apparently are deeper in the soil profile. There may be a difference in the amount of damage seen in affected areas of the field from crop to crop because of these population changes, but once a problem is seen in an area of a field, it tends to reoccur over many years

Territory: The garden Symphylan is found in most regions of the world, having been accidentally transferred with plants: it is thought to have originated in Europe. Damage caused by Garden Symphylan: Symphylans may damage sprouting seeds, seedlings before or after emergence, or older plants. They feed primarily on root hairs and rootlets and their ability to injure the crop decreases as plants get larger, however, their pitting of older roots may provide entryways for pathogens. Transplants may be stunted by their feeding as they “prune” the new roots attempting to grow out of the transplant plug. Life history and Habits: Symphylans are long lived; some adults may live several years. The adult females lay eggs in the soil that hatch into small versions of adult symphylans, but with fewer segments and legs. These early instar symphylans can easily be confused with white springtails, which can also damage seedlings. They move long distances in the soil, yet cannot tunnel through soil and must rely on existing soil pores. The primary food of symphylans is decaying organic matter, but they will actively feed on root hairs when available. Ideal soils for symphylans are those with good soil structure and high organic matter content—the same soil characteristics most growers strive for in their fields.