Homeowner's Guide to House Centipedes

Table Of Content

• Centipedes
• Maintaining a Dry Home Environment
• 10 Places You Never Knew Pests Were Hiding
• House Centipedes: What to Know
• Get rid of their food supply

Newly hatched larvae (which are rarely seen) have four pair of legs. During the next five larval molts, the centipedes will have 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 pairs of legs (Figure 2). On the next molt the centipede is considered an adolescent and will have 15 legs during each of the next four molts, after which it becomes an adult. Although you may not like the sight of house centipedes, they can be helpful in controlling more concerning pests.

Centipedes

Seal up any cracks or crevices where house centipedes may be sneaking in, and caulk all baseboards and door and window casings. Clear any leaf litter or wood debris from around the perimeter of your home, especially if it’s damp. A combination of all of these measures is likely to reduce any centipede population you have.

Maintaining a Dry Home Environment

Here's why you should never kill a house centipede - WKRC TV Cincinnati

Here's why you should never kill a house centipede.

Posted: Sat, 14 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]

So, for every centipede you see, there could be 100 more lurking elsewhere. Fortunately, because they’re nocturnal, you’ll rarely see them. As a predator to common household pests such as spiders, termites, cockroaches and silverfish, centipedes are great as their own form of pest control.

10 Places You Never Knew Pests Were Hiding

Outdoors, house centipedes prefer to live in cool, damp places. Centipede respiratory systems do not provide any mechanism for shutting the spiracles, and that is why they need an environment that protects them from dehydration and excessive cold. Most live outside, primarily under large rocks, piles of wood or leaves, in barkdust and especially in compost piles. They often emerge from hiding during the watering of gardens or flowerbeds. These centipedes can be found in almost any part of the house, although they are usually encountered in dark or dimly lit areas such as basements and garages.

Centipedes are found in areas of high moisture, such as loose bark, in rotting logs, under stones, in trash or piles of leaves and grass. When they invade homes, centipedes are most commonly found in damp basements, crawlspaces, bathrooms or potted plants. Choose the method that best suits your specific situation to achieve a centipede-free home.

Get rid of their food supply

A large house centipede population may indicate an underlying pest problem. Photograph by mourad-harzallah via iNaturalist, used under a CC BY 4.0 license. Over the years, our website, whatsthatbug.com has received hundreds of letters and some interesting images asking us about these insects. Depending on the size and species, some centipedes may hunt small animals like lizards, snakes, birds, and frogs.

Put out sticky traps to catch the bugs centipedes are eating, then eradicate that food source with your favorite conventional or natural pesticide and the house centipedes will go elsewhere, too. Centipedes are also partial to moisture, so investigate to ensure there are no leaky pipes or appliances that need repair. If you discover no such problems, adding a dehumidifier to dry out moist areas like a basement may send the house centipedes packing. If you’re someone who can’t stand the sight of worms or cockroaches, or if you have arachnophobia, chances are you won’t appreciate having house centipedes around you, either.

This powdered substance made from crushed insect exoskeletons is a very effective remedy for all kinds of indoor pests. The microscopic jagged edges of the powder pierce the body of the house centipedes and also dry out the fat and oils contained inside, slowly killing them. Sprinkle liberally around cracks, door thresholds, and in corners, especially in damp areas. Still, house centipedes are basically harmless to humans, and they're effective predators of other insect nuisances, including roaches, flies, silverfish, and termites. So, if you can learn to not be terrified of them, you should let them do their thing.

House centipedes are common household insects known for their many legs that help them scurry past you in the blink of an eye. Although house centipedes don’t pose a threat to humans and don’t typically harm infrastructure, seeing them in your home can be alarming. House centipedes are an all-natural form of pest control. They eat a wide variety of pesky bugs, including flies, ants, moths, silverfish, spiders, and cockroaches. The average female house centipede can lay between 60 and 150 eggs at a time.

House centipedes are native to the Mediterranean region but were accidentally introduced into the southern United States. They were first recorded in Pennsylvania in 1849 and are now widespread throughout the country and the world.

I've always been passionate about animals which led me to a career in training and behaviour. As an animal professional I'm committed to improving relationships between people and animals to bring them more happiness. Read and follow directions and safety precautions on labels. Handle carefully and store in original labeled containers out of the reach of children, pets, and livestock. Dispose of empty containers right away, in a safe manner and place.