Centipedes are a common house pest that have dozens of legs and jolt around quickly whenever you turn on the lights. The name “centipede” means “100 legs,” but the real number of legs falls short of that, and centipedes always have an odd number of leg pairs. There are many different species of centipedes in the US, with some of them being extremely dangerous, but the common house centipede is relatively harmless to humans. In this article, we’re going to go over how you can protect your home against these pests.
Lower moisture levels
Centipedes are drawn to environments that are high in humidity, and they require these high levels of moisture in order to survive. In order to address humidity issues, you will have to fix water leaks, and make sure that your kitchen, bathroom and basement are kept dry with exhaust fans and dehumidifiers.
Clear up clutter
The ideal environments for a centipede will also have a lot of clutter, since clutter provides shelter. While not really an issue in the bathroom or the kitchen, you will often find clutter in basements, attics and crawl spaces, or outdoors, under piles of leaves, grass clippings and firewood.
Eliminate any food sources
Centipedes are a predatory species so they feed on other insects. To eliminate the food sources of the centipedes, you will have to remove other insects from the home. The methods used can vary from species to species, such as using flypaper or ant traps.
Seal entry points
While it can be hard to seal all the entry points that a tiny centipede may use, there are some areas that are commonly used by these pests to gain access into the home. For example, you should make sure that your doors and windows have adequate weather stripping, and that there are no tears in your screens. You also want to check the points where wiring and plumbing enter the home.
Control
To control a house centipede infestation, a pest control pro will use baits laced with insecticide that will ensure that all the centipedes in the home die. You can take care of the centipedes that are out in the open by yourself, but centipedes are very good at hiding and sneaking around, so the only way to eliminate an entire population is through baiting. Contact us today if you have a house centipede infestation that needs to be removed.
