Centipedes are a household pest you're likely to encounter anywhere in a metropolitan area. These strange-looking creatures look more threatening than they are, as they may have dozens of long legs and move about quickly.
If you notice a centipede in your house, it doesn't mean you're a poor housekeeper. Pests will invade your space on the hunt for food, safety, or to escape cold weather. Don't struggle to get rid of centipedes on your own. Instead of relying on ineffective DIY solutions, have a qualified pest control company, like Miche Pest Control, take the challenge out of home pest control.
How To Identify A Centipede
What's a centipede? Centipedes are not insects but arthropods. You can identify this pest if it has the following characteristics:
- It has a long flat body measuring from one to over 12 inches in length.
- The centipede's head has long antennae and a distinctive shape.
- The body is divided into multiple segments, and it has many legs.
- You may notice the color of the pest is yellow-brown, ruddy-green, or dark brown.
- House centipedes have a round head and are often one to one-and-a-half inches long. Their bodies are yellow-gray and have three vertical stripes.
Once you have figured out that centipedes are inside your home, it's time to take action. Follow helpful tips to reduce and repel centipedes on your property, and have pest control services apply an effective long-term solution.
Some Types Of Centipedes Are Considered Dangerous
When you live in a metropolitan area, the good news is that household centipedes (scutigera coleoptrata) are harmless and not venomous. However, this doesn't mean that there aren't centipedes that can endanger the health of people or pets.
The following centipedes are dangerous, so exercise caution:
- Amazonian giant centipede
- Chinese-red headed centipede
- Giant desert centipede
- Megarian banded centipede
- Tiger centipede
Do centipedes bite? If a centipede bites you, there may be pain, swelling, or redness at the injury site. The venom of a centipede isn't strong enough to lead to a fatality, but it could trigger an unpleasant allergic reaction.
How And Why Centipedes Find Their Way Into Your Home
Centipedes can thrive both indoors and out. They will enter your home through openings in windows and doors, gaps in walls, holes, and drains.
What attracts centipedes? Usually, these arthropods invade people's houses because they want a warm place to stay or are looking for food. These pests also seek out damp, warm environments. You can find them in bathrooms, kitchens, closets, and basements.
If your home has earwigs, cockroaches, spiders, or crickets, centipedes feed on these as prey. During the day, it might be tricky spotting a centipede openly running around, as they are nocturnal. However, if you spot a centipede in the morning, you probably have more than a few hiding out.
Be proactive. If you see a few centipedes on your property, it's a good idea to have a technician from Miche Pest Control inspect and treat your home. You might be able to stop a huge centipede infestation before it starts.
The Most Effective Way To Get Rid Of Centipedes In Your House
You can use a few natural methods to encourage centipedes not to stick around. However, you won't be as effective at removing centipedes permanently as the experts at Miche Pest Control.
You can try placing a house centipede repellent like boric acid around the baseboards, corners, and other areas, running a dehumidifier to reduce moisture, or leaving sticky traps around your house. Ultimately, it's tough to stop a centipede problem on your own. The best way to get rid of centipedes and repel them is to use Miche Pest Control.
Our technicians will inspect your home and target areas where centipedes may enter. We use safe, effective pest control solutions to eliminate centipedes and deter their return. Take back your home from centipedes by contacting Miche Pest Control today.