Spotting a centipede crawling across the floor in your Virginia home might cause discomfort. While their presence is certainly not welcome in your home, they are harmless to humans and are effective predators to other insect nuisances such as flies, silverfish, termites, and roaches. However, that doesn't mean you should leave them to wander free.
If you see centipedes, it's likely a sign you may have another pest on your hands. Contact the Virginia pest control experts to do a full inspection and provide a solution and treatment to the problems in your home for good.
How Can I Tell If It's Centipedes In My House?
The most obvious sign of a centipede infestation is seeing the bug itself. It can be challenging as they do not cause damage or leave any trails. Centipedes are easily identifiable based on these criteria:
- Centipedes have 15 or more pairs of legs.
- Centipedes measure more than an inch long.
- Centipedes move very quickly.
- Centipedes survive in high-humidity areas such as drains, bathtubs, and between cracks and crevices.
As they are nocturnal creatures, they can be tough to find, and a centipede infestation in Virginia can often go unnoticed for quite some time. The presence of other pests, such as spiders or ants, can also be the leading cause of concern in a centipede infestation. Since they feed on other pests, there's the possibility that multiple infestations are occurring at the same time.
Are Centipedes Dangerous?
While centipedes are carnivorous and contain venom to sting and kill their prey, centipedes are not dangerous or poisonous to humans. They are typically not aggressive and do not initiate attacks against humans or household animals. However, they may bite in self-defense if they are threatened or provoked. While centipede bites can be exceedingly painful, they should not cause concern. The bigger the centipede is, the more impact it can deliver through its bite, potentially even breaking skin tissue. While their bites are not dangerous or fatal, they can cause tremendous pain, redness, a stinging feeling, swelling, and potentially an allergic reaction.
Why Are There Centipedes In My Home?
Centipedes live outside and inside our homes in areas that meet their high moisture needs. Things like clogged gutters, leaky pipes, and dense vegetation will cause the soil around the perimeter of your home to be moist and attract moisture-living pests, such as centipedes. Outside, these pests live in or under:
- Damp soil
- Mulch
- Woodpiles
- Rocks
- Landscaping ties
- Trash cans, recycling bins, and plant pots.
Inside our homes, centipedes like to gather in areas that tend to be damp, such as kitchens, bathrooms, crawl spaces, basements, and wall voids near water pipes. Centipedes that live outside close to the exterior of your Virginia home will eventually find their way inside through gaps under doors and cracks in the foundation. They'll typically do this when there are dry and hot weather conditions.
How Do I Get Rid Of Centipedes In My House?
If you see centipedes in your home, it is best to seek the help of the professionals at Miche Pest Control. We are a top-rated, family-owned, operated, full-service pest control company that provides exterminating services for centipedes in your Virginia home. Our friendly, highly trained professionals can help you eliminate your current pest problem and implement the routine services necessary to keep centipedes and other pests from becoming a problem in the future. Our expert technicians get rid of centipedes fast and use preventative methods to help keep centipedes from coming back after we have eliminated them. Contact us today!