Follow These Instructions for How to Keep Centipedes Out of Your House
Centipedes are creepy crawlers with many legs, which sometimes take them to places they shouldn’t be (e.g., your house).
If you want to learn how to deal with centipedes, you’ve come to the right place, but we encourage you to take a step back and consider how much you know about the creatures. It’s okay if you’re not a pest expert or have little to no knowledge about centipedes; that’s what we are here for.
In today’s pest blog, full of free, educational information, we’ll answer common questions about centipedes and what to do when they’re in your home. By the end of this article, you’ll know how to keep centipedes out of your house and more. Just keep reading to learn more from our experts in integrative pest management!
Are Centipedes Worms or Insects?
Centipedes (and millipedes) are not worms or insects but are more closely related to insects. Like insects, they are arthropods (i.e., they belong to the phylum Arthropoda). Worms belong to a completely different assortment of phyla, including Annelida.
Are Centipedes the Same as Millipedes?
No, centipedes and millipedes have some distinct differences between them.
- Paired Legs: Millipedes have two pairs of legs per body segment, while centipedes have only one pair of legs per tiny body segment.
- Venom: Centipedes have venomous pincers, while millipedes are entirely harmless.
- Feeding Behavior: Centipedes are carnivorous predators; they hunt down their prey (small insects) and use their venomous pincers to paralyze and kill them before consuming their flesh. Millipedes eat decomposing plant matter.
- Speed: To capture, paralyze, and eat small insects for dinner, centipedes are quick on their (many) feet. Millipedes, on the other hand, have so many legs that they’re pretty slow. That works out, though, since their diet consists of dead plants.
Why Centipedes Are in Your House
If centipedes are in your home, they’re most likely drawn to the area where you found them because it’s a supportive environment that fulfills their needs.
Centipedes love muggy, dim spaces with small insects they can hunt for prey. Indoors, you’ll find them in basements, behind/under sinks, behind toilets, around showers, and in garages. Outdoors, you’ll find centipedes under rocks, in gutters, in bushes, and more.
Now that you know more about why centipedes are in your home, let’s consider why you should (or shouldn’t) want them out.
Why You Don’t Want Centipedes In Your House
You want to know if having centipedes in your house is dangerous so you can decide whether or not to remove them. First, don’t try to remove them from your home yourself. Contact your trusted local pest control expert for help with safe centipede removal; we’ll have the necessary equipment and know-how to take care of the centipede problem and implement effective preventive measures to keep them from returning.
So, centipedes are dangerous, then?
They can be, so it’s best to err on the side of caution.
Centipedes typically avoid larger organisms, so there’s not too much risk of getting bit by one. However, it could bite you if you, a pet, or a family member were to sit or step on a centipede without knowing.
The risk of death or serious side effects from a centipede bite is not as low as some people try to suggest. Centipede venom is comprised of many intense toxins, and reactions range from mild swelling to neurotoxicity and anaphylaxis (Ross, E. et. al., 2023).
Why do some households let centipedes stick around?
Despite the risks, some individuals leave a centipede alone to live if they find it in their basement (or elsewhere in their home) because it’s like living with an insect control agent.
However, our experts don’t think the risks of having centipedes in your home are worth the potential benefits.
The only reason to appreciate the presence of centipedes in your home is that it strongly indicates that you have other insects (centipede’s prey) lurking inside as well. You can call the right professionals to investigate your household pest issues with that knowledge.
How to Keep Centipedes Out of Your House
If you agree that having centipedes around your home is a risk not worth the reward (small insect control, which is probably concealing a more severe issue), then this section is for you.
We’ll start by sharing preventative measures you can take to stop centipedes from moving in, situations where handling them yourself is acceptable, and how to know when it’s time for professional intervention.
Four Preventative Measures
In this previous section, we explained that centipedes are drawn to places in your home that provide an optimally dim, humid, and insect-populated environment. The following four preventative measures are effective and worth implementing because they apply that knowledge:
#1 Seal Potential Entry Points
Centipedes can sneak in through cracks in walls, the space between baseboards and walls, and gaps around windows. Seal these areas with caulk to block the centipedes out.
#2 Dehumidify
Centipedes thrive with humidity and access to water. Dehumidify the room in one or more of the following ways:
- Place a dehumidifier in the rooms of the house where you see centipedes.
- Repair leaking pipes and other sources of water leakage.
- Mop up puddles and dampness.
- Turn on a fan.
#3 Clear Your Yard
If your yard has damp organic material like mulch, compost, or leaves, it will definitely attract centipedes and other pests. Try to maintain your yard as often as possible by raking, mowing, weed eating, and disposing of the clutter.
#4 Store Firewood Properly
Although centipedes don’t eat wood like termites, they love hunting for the insects that hide in it. The best way to prevent centipedes and other pests from invading your home by riding in on your firewood is to store it in a dry place on your property that’s as far as possible from your home.
When using your fireplace, don’t bring in firewood unless it is dry, you’ve knocked it against a hard surface (still far from your house), and you can confirm no insects or other critters are crawling in it. If your firewood is infested with many insects, never bring it inside.
How to Get Centipedes Out of Your House Yourself
If you have centipedes in your home, it is unlikely you’ll be able to completely get them out yourself. However, if you spot a centipede, you can get rid of that particular one yourself by either vacuuming up or trapping it under a bowl, going to the farthest edge of your property from your house, and letting it go.
When to Call A Professional
If you are afraid of handling a centipede or have found more than one in your home, it’s time to call a professional pest control service. We’re the perfect team for the job if you’re in Birmingham, Alabama.
For 40+ years, our team of integrative pest solutions professionals from Vulcan Termite & Pest Control has proudly aided hundreds of families in Birmingham and nearby communities by eradicating invasive pests on their property.
We’ll gladly perform a FREE evaluation and create and implement an effective strategy using our tried-and-true methods, so you and your family can enjoy a pest-free home.
Are you curious to keep learning about common critters found in Alabama or how to safely and humanely deal with them when they show up on your property uninvited? Check out more of our weekly pest blogs for helpful tips, tricks, and educational content!