You might be scared or might be creeped out just by thinking about these creepy crawlies i.e. centipedes. I am personally creeped out and definitely don’t want to encounter a situation with centipedes. So, I found out 60 sure shot ways to keep centipedes away from house.
So, what are these 60 absolute ways to keep centipedes away from house? Here goes our 60 sure shot recommendations
- Remove Their Prey
- Exterminate
- Dehumidifier
- Silica Packets
- Bathroom Exhaust Fan
- Cracks And Crevices
- Reduce Moisture From Around Your Foundation
- Seal Cracks
- Keep Doors Closed, And Windows Netted
- Secure House Perimeter
- Keep House Perimeter Dry
- Seal All Entry Points
- Remove Rotting Logs And Woods Around Your House Periphery
- Cut Overgrowth
- Rocks Around Your House
- Leaf Piles And Litter
- Washbasin, Sinks, Bathtubs, and Commodes
- Washroom Cracks And Crevices
- Drainage Pipes
- Drainage Openings
- Water Supply Pipes
- Kitchen Moist Areas
- Kitchen Sink
- Garbage Container
- Vanilla & Tea Tree Oil
- Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth
- Clove Oil
- Naphthalene Or Mothballs
- Useful House Plants
- Cayenne Pepper
- Garden Management
- Bug Sprays
- Peppermint
- Eucalyptus Oil
- Liquid Dish Soap
- Sticky Traps
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Boric Acid
- Pyrethroids
- Create A Barrier Around Your Entire Home
- Pest Control
- Why Professionals Help
- External Insecticide
- For Small Cracks And Crevices Externally
- Additional External Protection
- Neem Oil
- Cedar Oil
- Cleanliness
- Carpets
- Use Light
- Mint
- Clogged Drainage
- Borax
- Put up A Barrier
- Capture
- Bifen Granules
- Drione Dust
- Tear Down The Ivy
- Reduce Clutter
- Precautions While Going To Bed
Follow through this article to know these 60 ways in details which is absolutely necessary and use them efficiently. You can also download this cheat sheet that will give you a quick look into these 60 sure shot ways.
Click Here To Download This Cheat Sheet
1. Remove Their Prey
The centipede is a carnivorous animal and hence, a pure meat-eater. Centipedes mainly prey on insects, earthworms, spiders, and other small invertebrates, while some larger species of centipede are known to feast on small mammals and reptiles. Get rid of all bugs, and pests centipedes feed on, from your house. Once they do not find food, they would go away.
2. Exterminate
Kill any centipede you come across, using flat surfaces – footwear, plastic brooms, sturdy fly swats. You could pour cleaners or disinfectants like Harpic or Phenyle if they are in your washrooms. Other places in your house, they could be sprayed with bug sprays like Ortho home defense found on Amazon. They move pretty quick with their many legs; hence you has to be quite agile. You could also suck them with a vacuum cleaner, or broom them out of your house.
3. Dehumidifier
Use a dehumidifier at home, especially your basement, so that moisture levels reduce and hence less likelihood of molds, mites, mildews to set in, which are congenial spots for centipedes to breed. You can get dehumidifier from Amazon. Since centipedes love humidity, the best way to get rid of them is to use dehumidifiers. You can use essentials oils with the dehumidifier and remove the moisture out of the air. This will make the centipedes less prone to enter your house, as the environment will not be suitable for them.
4. Silica Packets
Centipedes need a moist environment in order to thrive, so getting rid of excess moisture in the house will cause the centipedes to dry out and die. You should terminate your basement and other places in the home for damp spots that centipedes could thrive. Packets of silica can be used in the dampest places of your dwelling to wick away water from the ground and air. These silica packet from Amazon works very well. Place small packets of silica in moist places and corners. Like inside your shoes, cupboard corners or the dark, damp spot in your basement. Silica absorbs moisture from the surrounding air and keeps the area dry.
5. Bathroom Exhaust Fan
Install a better bathroom exhaust fan, so that your washroom quickly dries and less conducive for centipedes. Broan ventilation fan found on Amazon is one of the best fan for this purpose. Though if your basement is dry and your home’s relative humidity is very low, moisture in the bathroom attracts pests like house centipedes, water bugs and drain flies. Switching on your bathroom exhaust fan after every shower will help towards keeping your bathroom dry and keep these pests at a distance. The exhaust fan eradicates moisture from the air, which allows water around drains and at the bottoms of showers to evaporate faster before bugs discover it. If your bathroom exhaust fan does not seem to dry the air out within a few minutes, consider having your HVAC contractor install a more powerful you.
6. Cracks And Crevices
Seal any cracks and crevices around the house, to keep them from entering your home, or laying eggs and multiplying. Harbourage reduction is you of the essential management tactics. Close, with appropriate fillers, cracks and crevices in concrete slabs and block walls.
7. Reduce Moisture From Around Your Foundation
Centipedes are often attracted to wet and damp areas. Therefore, you of the better ways to discourage centipedes from coming near your home is to reduce the moisture content around your house and its foundation. Examine your home’s foundation. Extricate wet piles of garden mulch or debris. Besides, make sure your rain gutters deposit water away from your foundation.
8. Seal Cracks
Look for any cracks in your foundation, where centipedes could enter. These small insects can manoeuvre through tiny spaces. Prevent centipedes from entering your home by caulking all cracks and crevices, your building structure reveals. Newborn caulking gun from Amazon is best suited for this purpose. Focus on the areas along the doorframe, window sills and around pipes. If your house gets infested with centipedes, you should do it in order to avoid new colonies getting there.
9. Keep Doors Closed, And Windows Netted
Keep your doors closed at all times to keep centipedes out. Besides, check to see if you have any cracks in or around your door, that a centipede could squirm through. Use a door-sealing product underneath the door. Install mosquito nets in all your windows to prevent centipede from wandering into your home.
10. Secure House Perimeter
Clear the perimeter around your house of foliage and other damp debris, which are their breeding ground. Also, place compost bins and similar damp breeding grounds as far away as possible from the periphery of your house.
11. Keep House Perimeter Dry
Centipedes are pests of moisture. You have to make the perimeter of their house’s foundation dry, and it will be less attractive to these centipedes. Inspect your gutters and drainage points to make sure they are not clogged or broken. Cut bushes and shrubs so that you allow sunlight to dry the water after it rains. Address areas around the ground, where it is compacted and rainwater can sit. Fix all areas that slope toward your home.
12. Seal All Entry Points
These are resourceful bugs that can crawl up vertical surfaces. Keep this in mind as you inspect for entry points. You will need to start low and go all the way up to your roofline. Look closely at window and door frames, screens, weather stripping, and any door sweep. Look in dark, moist places that are hard to get into, like under your deck, porch, exterior stairwell, or patio. Examine pipes, conduit, and other objects that pass through your walls. While it is tough to seal centipedes out, every little thing you does makes a difference.
13. Remove Rotting Logs And Woods Around Your House Periphery
In nature, centipedes are typically found living in rotting logs. If you has any wood adjacent to your home or any wood near the home that is rotting, this will surely lure centipedes. It is always best to keep all wood products and all organic debris at least 20 feet from your foundation walls. BLACK+DECKER cordless chainsaw from Amazon will make your job easier. It can cut the log with ease and will save time.
14. Cut Overgrowth
Centipedes love weeds, tall grass, and all overgrowth. Keeping it cut and neat around your home can help to resists these bugs. Mowing your backyard regularly would help.
15. Rocks Around Your House
The centipede is a bug that loves to squeeze itself under rocks. If your landscaping includes rocks and rubbles, keep in mind that these will be very attractive to centipedes. Ensure these types of landscaping are away from your house.
16. Leaf Piles And Litter
Centipedes hide under piles of leaf and leaf litter. Sweeping your leaves and raked up, will reduce moisture conditions in your yard, and deter centipedes. Keep these gathered leaves away from your house walls. Either burn them or place them in the compost pits.
17. Washbasin, Sinks, Bathtubs, and Commodes
Clean your washbasin, sinks, bathtubs, and commode regularly, with Harpic or similar cleaning agents. Especially around the rims, inside and out. Ensure cracks and crevices around these are adequately sealed.
18. Washroom Cracks And Crevices
Ensure that the drainage pipe junctions and water outlets in their toilet is free from cracks and crevices. Seal them off with white cement or any other sealants. These moist places are very conducive for centipedes.
19. Drainage Pipes
They breed inside your drainage pipe, which is devoid of constant water flow. Make it a habit of pouring Green Gobbler ultimate drain cleaner whenever your drains are clogged. This chemical can be found on Amazon and is very effective cleaning the drainage pipes.
20. Drainage Openings
Centipedes are most likely to crawl out of drainage area at night when part of the pipe has dried off. To avoid them to do so, pour disinfectants around such openings in undiluted form. Again I recommend Green Gobbler ultimate drain cleaner from Amazon. The toxicity of the liquid would kill them, when they enter.
21. Water Supply Pipes
Repair water supply pipes inside the washroom area, joints near the tap outlets, water supply areas near the basin and commode. These leaks tend to moist the area surrounding it, allowing centipedes to thrive.
22. Kitchen Moist Areas
Kitchens are another area that you has to be careful of. Treat the basin, drainage, water pipes as above. Seal leaking pipes and remove drips around the faucets. Use drain cleaners regularly. Spray safe disinfectants around the drainage areas at night, when these nocturnal creatures make their appearance, in search of their prey.
23. Kitchen Sink
Ensure the garbage bin area and areas under the kitchen sink is clean and dry at all times. These closed and often moist areas attract roaches, which in turn attracts centipedes, who feed on them. Clean with safe disinfectants regularly around these areas. I recommend Green Gobbler ultimate drain cleaner from Amazon. It is very effective in kitchen sink cleaning.
24. Garbage Container
Keep your garbage container sealed, especially at night, to avoid attracting bugs and crawling insects, who are prey to centipedes. These bins must be cleared on regular intervals and not allowed to rot.
25. Vanilla & Tea Tree Oil
Centipedes have a strong sense of smell due to having sensitive antennae. There are scents that centipedes cannot stand and will stay away. Vanilla and tea tree oil irritate centipedes a great deal, though tea tree essential oil is the most successful of the two oils. I recommend Handcraft tea tree essential oil from Amazon. It is pure and works amazingly well. Here is an excellent DIY tea tree essential oil recipe, with instructions, that many have had great success with, in the past. Combine 6 ounces of water and 25 drops of tea tree essential into a spray bottle. Mix well and spray in likely centipede access areas around the house. This must be done once a week to keep the house centipede away. Dabbing a little amount of tea tree oil on window sills and basement doors will create a scent barrier, that will keep away centipedes for months.
26. Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a naturally forming insecticide. Diatomaceous earth is the powdered fossilized remnants of microscopic diatoms. The crushed shells of these diatoms are very similar to plankton, leave small cuts on the insect’s body as they walk over them. Moisture escapes the insect’s body from these small cuts, leading to its eventual death.The sprinkling of diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your home, and all places you often see centipedes will keep them at bay. I recommend HARRIS diatomaceous earth from Amazon. It is very effective against centipedes. Centipedes are mostly to present in damp areas such as bathrooms, closets, and cellars. Make sure, however, that the powder finds its way on dry areas.
27. Clove Oil
Clove oil is another natural insecticide, which deters/ kills bugs and other crawling insects, including centipedes. This works well when combined with other essential oils, such as peppermint extract or citrus oil. Mix several drops of these oils with a quart of water, and pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray the area around baseboards, under the cabinets and appliances, and even on countertops in your kitchen. I recommended the clove essential oil from Amazon. It is pure and works well against centipedes. This would repel common household pests. While the scent of cloves may linger for long, the residual effects of clove oil insecticides are limited. Which means that you should re apply the mixture frequently, and spray it directly on the insects whenever possible.
28. Naphthalene Or Mothballs
To repel a wide range of bugs, including centipede, use mothballs. These mothballs smell quite strong, which irritates these insects, from entering your home and stay away from their living quarters. Mothballs are unsafe to youngsters and pets, so whenever you is putting these mothballs under all dark places and damp areas, try to be careful with them. Keep them away from the reach of children and pets. Naphthalene possesses the characteristic of sublimation. When a substance becomes gas directly from a solid state, it undergoes sublimation. The gas generated from mothballs is toxic to centipedes. The odour is unpleasant enough to keep them away. It is apparent that when naphthalene gas gets inhaled, other chemicals that are present in the body, damage cells, and tissues. As per instructions, mothballs are to be used only inside tightly sealed containers. They are not expected to use it in open areas where humans can inhale the vapours. The gases released by mothballs irritates moths thereby driving them away. Studies reveal that naphthalene is a good repellent when used at 100% concentration in a highly closed area.
29. Useful House Plants
Several houseplants, such as lilies, palms, ivies, and ferns can help remove excess moisture from the air inside your house. This reduces the humidity inside and thereby does not assists centipedes to thrive. Place these strategically around the house and basements and rotate them periodically. When watering them, keep in mind not to allow water to create a puddle and hence wet the surface for centipedes to be attracted.
30. Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is very irritating to pest and insects. Spiders and centipedes will avoid cayenne pepper, and hence it is beneficial when sprinkled outside and around the periphery of a house and along the outer edges of your window. Keep your cats and dogs away from cayenne pepper. I recommended using McCormick cayenne red pepper from Amazon. It’s a genuine product from McCormick and it’s very effective.
31. Garden Management
Keep your grass in your garden dry. Moist places attract centipedes. Reduce all moist areas in the garden where eggs germinate. Rake out old mulch under plants and replace them with fresh mulch or straw. Move piles of leaves to a compost site away from areas you want to keep insect free. Aerate your lawn to reduce thatch that could provide a damp home for centipedes.
32. Bug Sprays
Bug sprays play a crucial role in eliminating centipedes from your home. The bug spray is sprayed on various surfaces to discourage the centipedes from making their move towards your house. I recommended Ortho home defense insect killer spray from Amazon as it’s very effective, easy to use and is a trusted brand. The surfaces that the bug spray impacts, include the skin, the clothes, walls, and other centipedes’ hideouts. Bug sprays have a high efficacy in the elimination of bugs. When applied correctly, they eliminate up to 80% of bugs in your home. It is essential to apply the bug spray appropriately to enhance its efficiency. Ensure that you applies to all your clothes, covers, and bare skin. You should, however, avoid direct exposure of the repellent with your eye and the nostrils. This massive slaughter significantly reduces the house from centipede population significantly. The remaining few centipedes will crawl away in search of food and better living environment elsewhere. Subsequently, you would have earned their freedom back.
33. Peppermint
Spiders and centipedes hate the smell of peppermint. This smell is enough to keep them away from your home. If they come in contact with peppermint essential oil, they get burnt. Mighty Mint Peppermint Oil from Amazon is very effective against centipedes. Apply this peppermint essential oil from Amazon with dropper along the cracks on your floorboard, underneath the radiator and around windows. For soft surfaces like the bed and sofa, dilute the essential oil with water, fill up the spray bottle, and spray the mixture. The fragrance keeps the house smelling crisp and fresh! You can grab the spray bottle from Amazon.
34. Eucalyptus Oil
Spiders and centipedes cannot stand the smell of eucalyptus essential oil. It is a good repellent for mosquitoes and flies too. Burn eucalyptus oil in an essential oil steam diffuser. To use this as an indoor repellent, add you-quarter teaspoon eucalyptus oil to you cup of water in a spray bottle. Shake the bottle very well before every use, since the oil separates from the water. As earlier, re-apply every three days until the problem vanishes. Eucalyptus fragrance is calming, and it has medicinal properties too. I recommended using Majestic pure eucalyptus essential oil from Amazon. It’s comes with a premium dropper and is very effective. Eucalyptus is antimicrobial, antibacterial, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and decongestant.This means it is a natural air purifier, kills airborne germs and is also beneficial to individuals with chronic bronchitis, asthma, and allergies.
35. Liquid Dish Soap
Take liquid dish soap and a gallon of warm water. Shake well and spray the content into deep cracks and corners, do it frequently. Once the soap comes into contact with the centipede, it removes the wax and oils that cover the insect’s exoskeletons, allowing water to escape. This will cause the centipede to dehydrate and die. Keep the spray accessible and spray this on the centipedes as and when they appear. They will die at once.
36. Sticky Traps
You can also try setting up some sticky traps on the floors around their home, in crevices and corners. You to catch the smaller centipedes and other crawling insects in such traps, more massive centipedes might walk away, leaving behind few of its legs! Centipedes are pretty fast, but they do not generally invade in large numbers. Sticky traps, which traps other insects and rodents, are effective at catching centipedes. I recommended using Catchmaster pest trap from Amazon. It’s very effective against centipedes and other pests.
37. Isopropyl Alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol is toxic when it’s ingested by bugs. In a spray bottle, mix you cup of alcohol to you teaspoon of vegetable oil and 1 gallon of water. Mix this spray well. The spray will kill any centipedes that are invading flower beds and gardens; it is safe to use on infestations found around plants. You can get the isopropyl alcohol from Amazon.
38. Boric Acid
To kill centipedes, spray boric acid or boric acid product, in areas that centipedes mostly frequent. The powdered form of this product is very effective against centipedes and could dispense from a plastic squeeze bottle. Fill cracks and wall crevices with the powder. Boric acid kills many different types of insects, arthropods, arachnids, and other pests by working on them in two main ways. The first action occurs when they ingest it. When centipedes eat boric acid, it poisons them and causes damage to their stomachs and their digestive systems. This eventually causes them to die of acute starvation. The second way that boric acid kills these pests is by damaging their exoskeletons. The coarse texture of the powder nicks and scratches their protective coverings. They are unable to maintain the moisture internally, which they need in their bodies, and they die of dehydration. Keep them away from children.
39. Pyrethroids
Products containing pyrethroids (cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, permethrin or tralomethrin) would exterminate centipedes on contact. This can be used as fog or spray for direct contact, for better effectiveness. Pyrethroids are broad-spectrum insecticides and most fo the insects that come in contact with the wet spray or with the dry deposit of the active ingredients left by the spray would be eliminated. This includes ants, spiders, roaches, stinging insects, pantry pests, bed bugs, as well as insects that we usually consider to be beneficial such as ladybugs and honey bees and off-course centipedes. Pyrethrin is a naturally occurring insecticide that kills a wide range of insect pests including ants, mosquitoes, moths, flies, and fleas. Pyrethrin kills insects almost instantly upon contact. Only apply Pyrethrin in smaller, spot sprays. Very useful on centipede as well!
40. Create A Barrier Around Your Entire Home
Whether it is a chemical insecticide, natural insecticide or others. Create a moat-like pathway around the outside of your house. Centipedes originate outside, and they come inside. When they do, they will travel into the insecticide barrier. Even if they happen to make it inside, they should be dead or near dead, by the time they surface. Try using this organic pesticide containing cyhalothrin, which is used mainly for ants but does double duty for centipedes too.
41. Pest Control
If you has tried everything to eradicate centipede from their home and have failed, get outside help. The only way to completely seal centipedes from out of a house is through targeted application of pesticides at vulnerable areas. An educated pest control technician best addresses this. Professionals trains in pest control methods, which are established by industry experts. These professionals follow strict safety protocols to ensure that the EPA-approved products which they use, are applied appropriately.
42. Why Professionals Help
An educated pest control technician trains in monitoring methods that would ensure that all the targeted centipedes face the brunt. These professionals would identify the potential entry points, locate and destroy centipede eggs and spray parts of your house with effective spray. They are worth the money if you can afford them, and when all other options have failed! These professional would also provide dos and don’ts to follow, thus ensuring centipede free environment.
43. External Insecticide
LambdaStar UltraCap from Amazon and Cyper WSP from Amazon can be applied inside or outside, and they are residual insecticides. Spray these products along the cracks and crevices, entry points, and baseboards to discourage centipede’s activity. These products should be applied as a 3 to 10-foot band around the perimeter of the structure, in harboring sites, and/or around potential entry points. Both products will give you long term residual, about three months duration, and is a good spray for all kinds of surfaces. Apply liquid applications into cracks and crevices along baseboards, floors and other potential hiding places.
44. For Small Cracks And Crevices Externally
In addition to the recommended residual insecticides, Lambdastar UltraCap or Cyper WSP, you could also use an aerosol like D-Force – Insecticide from Amazon , spray around doors, windows and other spots where these pests may enter your house. This aerosol has a crevice and cracks tip, which helps to apply in the microscopic cracks and crevices, and other locations where the liquid spray cannot go.
45. Additional External Protection
As an extra protection, use residual dust like D-Fense Dust from Amazon. Dust the attic areas and under the baseboards. Recommended dusting for attic areas would be D Fense Dust with a hand duster or a garden duster. Use this powder under seat benches in the garden and around tables and fixtures which are generally used. It makes sense to sprinkle this dust around the tool box and work bench in the garage and working shed area.
46. Neem Oil
Many plants have evolved the ability to fight off insect attack. The essential oils extracted from these plants serves as a natural insecticide for centipedes. It also works as a centipede repellent. Neem oil is an essential oil that has useful insecticide properties and is prevalent in commercial agricultural applications. The compounds found in neem oil are ingested by the centipede when it comes into contact, which upsets the insect’s hormonal system. The centipede’s whole life cycle disrupts, as it will stop eating and mating. I recommended using Monterey neem oil from Amazon. It comes with a sprayer, it’s is easy to use and is very effective.
47. Cedar Oil
Cedar oil is another natural insecticide to get rid of house centipedes. It is very effective against all insects and arthropods. The oil causes the centipede to suffer from osmotic dehydration and suffocation. I recommend using the cedar oil from Amazon as it is very effective. Also, cedar oil will emulsify the centipede’s body fats, finally killing them. Spray the home and basement with cedar oil solution and outside, use cedar wood chippings in flower beds and yards.
48. Cleanliness
Keep your house and surrounding clean. Do not keep dirty clothes in a corner or rotting fruits in a tray. If there are pets or children around the house, ensure that floors are kept clean, tidy and dry, always. Any damp or moist areas are not advisable. These provide shelter and food for these nocturnal creatures. Inside and external cleanliness is paramount to keep centipedes at bay!
49. Carpets
Soiled or wet carpets are prone to attract centipede. If the carpet is dirty, food particles gather on them, leading to roaches and other prey of centipedes to linger around this area. This attracts the centipede, and the moist, dark areas are ideal for their infestation. Pets and children usually tend to sit or play around on these carpeted areas. It’s very important that the carpet is washed periodically and kept out to dry in the sun. Because of its fabrics and utility, this is an area of grave concern and must be managed well.
50. Use Light
These nocturnal creatures are disturbed by bright lights. By lighting up dark spaces with light, you drive centipedes to cracks and openings, thro’ which they have gained access. By sealing off, these entrances you can keep centipedes away. When moving around in your basement, make sure that you have turned on the lights, so that you does not come up with huge shock and end up hurting yourself!
51. Mint
Mint is among the most effective when it comes to insect deterrent! More people are using mint as a natural way to repel insects, including centipedes! Centipedes hate the smell of mint. Planting mint around your home would be a great idea. Since mint is a fast-growing plant and can soon become invasive, suggest planting your mint plants in pots instead of their flower beds. This actually may work to your advantage, as you can move your mint plants around as you learns centipedes exact entry points to their home.
52. Clogged Drainage
Regularly de-clog the drainage, so that there is free-flowing water out of kitchen and washrooms. Clogged drainage assists centipedes to infest and during the night, during inactivity in the drainage system, they creep into your house. Use effective de-clog granules overnight and flush them out properly in the morning.
53. Borax
Borax is easy to find in any retail store that sells laundry products. Many people use it to help clean and freshen their clothes. Borax is an excellent deterrent against centipede. I recommend using MILLIARD borax powder from Amazon which is a multipurpose cleaner. It works very well against centipedes. Sprinkle borax around your house perimeter. Try sprinkling powered borax around the perimeter of the basement floorboards. Borax works well at eliminating roaches and fleas as well as most other bugs. Just sprinkle the borax along the wall baseboards, in cupboards, or wherever bugs are a problem. This will keep centipede away.
54. Put up A Barrier
Rather than using thick mulch beds, place a 12-24 inch band of gravel or stone around the perimeter of the home. If mulch is preferred, rake the mulch bed every 4-6 weeks to allow it to dry out. Always protect this bed with any you of the deterrents – cayenne pepper, borax, diatomaceous earth or any you the off the shelf dust and powder.
55. Capture
Centipedes are very quick, but they do not usually invade in large numbers. If you can trap the ones found, and either smash them or throw them outside, you would be well on their way to controlling the problem. Isolate the centipede under a jar or a cup, slide a piece of cardboard over the mouth of the container. You could then relocate the bug outdoors, being sure to deposit it as far away from possible from the house. Do not touch a centipede with your own bare hands—they do bite. Though they are not prone to attacking humans, you might bite in self-defense; the bite would feel similar to a bee sting.
56. Bifen Granules
Centipedes typically come from nests found around the house. First nest sites include pine straw, wood chips, and rock gravel islands. For these areas, Bifen granules must be applied once a month when activity is present. You can find these Bifen granules on Amazon. These granules are a slow release, weather tolerant “sand like” granule which works by repelling, as well as killing centipedes. Use around 5 lbs for every 4,000 sq/ft of the area of mulch. Reapply every month when activity reappears; once every three months to make sure they do not return. You will need a capable granule spreader to sprinkle the Bifen G. Any push behind fertilizer spreader would work. However, for challenging to treat flower beds or mound with dense ground cover, the hand-held applicator is most suited and very easy to use.
57. Drione Dust
Once inside the house, centipedes will take advantage of dark, secluded areas like wall crevices behind sinks and cabinets. Addressing these areas with liquids or aerosol is not suggested at all. What really works well and lasts long is Drione dust. You can find Drione dust on Amazon. This product is very active on centipedes and will last a year or more. Blow small amounts into wall cracks, under counters, into ceiling spaces for long term centipede control. Use a hand duster while making the application, and be sure to get in between all the voids and insulation, where centipedes are likely to nest and along walls where their activity is continuous. Dust inside light switches and electrical boxes, after removing their covers. Drione will not hurt the contacts but once applied, will keep centipedes out which not surprisingly like to target these locations.
58. Tear Down The Ivy
You of the top hiding spots of centipedes is the ivy, growing along on your house’s walls. Centipedes enter your house through this ivy, using entry points such as windows. Hence, tear down the ivy trail as a first step. Gently remove the roots, as since can destroy the appearance of their house. Inspect the exterior regularly to make sure that there is no ivy growing near the points of entry. Maintain your creepers and shrubs. Avoid them to be in contact with their house. Centipedes climb uneven surfaces and can make their way through open windows or exhausts.
59. Reduce Clutter
Centipedes thrive in areas that provide them plenty of hiding places. If you can limit such opportunities in their basement or crawlspace, the centipedes will not stay. Be careful of dark corners, under the stairways, below the upholstery and around study table. Outside, move leaf litter, grass clippings, firewood, and building materials away from the structure. Block stones, sand and granite chips need to be kept away from house walls.
60. Precautions While Going To Bed
To be sure that centipede does not crawl all over you, when you sleeps, shake everything on your bed which include the pillow, bed sheet, and bedding. This is to get rid of any possible centipedes hiding underneath them. To avoid them to crawl up the legs of beds, sprinkle or spray deterrents around it. Ensure that the bed upholstery does not touch the walls.
Hazards to humans (Centipede bite)
Some species of centipedes can be dangerous to humans because of their bite, which is more like a bee sting. Although the bite to an adult human is unlikely to be fatal, usually they are very painful and may cause severe swelling, fevers, chills, and weakness. Bites could be more dangerous to small children and those with allergies to stings of bees. The venomous bite of larger centipedes can lead to anaphylactic shock in some people. Smaller centipedes are generally not capable of piercing the human skin.
Even nonvenomous centipedes are considerably frightened by humans due to their dozens of legs moving at the same time. Their intention to dart swiftly out of the darkness towards your feet. A 19th-century Tibetan poet warned his co Buddhists, “if you enjoy frightening others, you will be reborn as a centipede.”
House centipedes are scientifically known as Scutigeracoleoptrata. They may not be pretty, but as far as pests go, this is one is the better ones to have around. Although they are awful to look at, house centipedes feed only on other household insects. Typically, their staple food may include cockroaches, spiders, bed bugs and termites. Hence, not a pest to have around the house!
However, rich history aside, although the centipede is harmless to humans, it is usually an unwanted visitor both outside and inside the home. Getting rid of them from your house and its surroundings take some know-how and work and may require professional help, but they can all go.
Some Facts About Centipedes That Everyone Should Know (But Very Few People Does)
Fact 1: Not All Centipedes Are Equal
If you is wondering, “Are centipedes dangerous?” the answer is probably no. In Texas, we have more than you species of centipede. The centipede that generally gets into homes and makes itself a nuisance is Scutigera coleoptrata, also known as the house centipede. The house centipede is creepy looking and disturbing, but that is where the threat ends. Though this species of a centipede has poison in its jaws, it is not strong enough to bite through the skin of a human. There is, however, a centipede in Texas that can bite through the skin. It is Scolopendra heros – the Texas redheaded centipede. Fortunately, the Texas redheaded centipede is not a common household pest. You are most likely to find you of these centipedes crawling around in your yard.
Fact 2: Centipedes Can Be Beneficial
While we definitely would not suggest introducing centipedes into your home for pest control, they can be a little beneficial when they come into your home by accident. So do not be so quick to step on you those ugly, long-legged intruders. Centipedes may not be able to bite you, but they are more than able to bite insects and spiders that are living in your home. They are even known to eat bed bugs. How great is that? However, centipedes do not take their job seriously. They will not make sure all those carpenter ants and spiders are gyou, the way a trained pest control technician will.
Fact 3: Centi Means A Hundred, And Pede Means Feet
First of all, centipedes do not have feet, despite what the animated movies would have you belief. Second, they do not have a hundred legs. A typical adult centipede will have 15 pairs of legs, the back two legs being near twice the length of the others, which makes it look as though they have antennae on both ends.
Fact 4: Centipedes Are Not Insects
For most people, there are two kinds of bugs: arachnids and insects. However, centipedes are neither. While there are many distinguishing characteristics for arachnids and insects, we will stick to the you that is the most obvious. Arachnids have eight legs, and insects have 6. The centipede does not fall into either of these two groups. So, what is a centipede? Do you know? While spiders and centipedes are both in the phylum arthropoda, centipedes are not arachnids; they are chilopods.
Fact 5: Centipedes Are Moisture Pests
If you has moisture issues on the inside or outside of your home, those issues are likely why you have centipedes in their home. Correcting a centipede infestation is often a mix of professional pest control and the hiring of a handyman.
Some More Interesting Facts About Centipede That You Wish You Knew
Centipedes, which means” one hundred legs” in Latin, are Arthropods, and members of an invertebrate class that includes spiders, insects, and crustaceans. All centipedes belong to the Chilopoda class, which includes around 3,300 different species. Except for Antartica, they exist on every continent, and they have the most excellent variety in shape and configuration in the warm and tropical surroundings.
Most centipedes live by burrowing and live in soil or leaf litter, beneath the styous and under the bark of trees. Centipede bodies is made up of six head segments, three of which are mouthparts, a pair of poisonous maxillipeds or “foot jaws,” a variety of trunk leg-bearing segments, and two genital parts. Their heads have two antennae and a different number of paired compound eyes, called ocelli. Some species who dwell in caves do not see.
Each legged part is made up of an upper and lower shield covered by a cuticle and distinctly separated from the adjacent part by a flexible membrane. Centipedes cyclically shed their cuticle, which assists them to grow. Their body span ranges from 4 to 300 millimeters or 0.6–12 inches, with many species measuring between 10 and 100 mm 0.4–4 inches.
Centipedes Never Have 100 Legs: Though their name suggests, you hundred legs, they can have significantly more or less than 100 legs—but not 100. Depending on the type of species, a centipede can have as many as 191 pairs or as few as 15 pairs of legs. Regardless of the type, centipedes always have an odd number of pair of legs, so they never have exactly 100 legs, since 50 is an even number.
The most straightforward way to differentiate centipedes and millipedes is as follows: Centipedes always have a single pair of legs per segment, while all Millipedes have two pairs of legs on most body segments. Are you not sure what you has got? Count the number of pairs of legs on each segment.
The number of legs changes all through their lives: When a centipede finds itself in the caught by a bird or other predator, it can often flee by letting go of a few legs. The predator holds beak full of legs, and the willy centipede makes a quick escape on their remaining legs. Since they continue to molt as adults, they can always repair the damage by simply growing more legs. If you finds a centipede with some legs that are shorter than the others, it is most likely that it is in the process of recovering from a bird’s attack.
Numerous centipedes hatch from their eggs with a complete set of leg pairs, certain kinds of Chilopods start their life with fewer legs than their parents. Styou centipedes, Lithobiomorpha, and house centipedes, Scutigeromorpha, commence with as few as 14 legs but keeps adding pairs of legs with each successive molt, till they reach adulthood. The common house centipede lives as long as five to six years, and hence that is many legs.
Centipedes are carnivorous hunters: Centipedes are primarily hunters, though some occasionally scavenge a meal. Smaller centipedes catch other invertebrates, including annelids, insects, mollusks, and some even other centipedes. The larger tropical species can easily consume small birds and frogs. The centipede usually encompasses itself around the prey and lets the venom to take effect before consuming its food.
A centipede’s first set of legs are the fangs with venom, which they use to inject this paralyzing venom from a gland into its prey. These first protrusions are known as forcipules and are unique to centipedes. Their large poison claws partially cover the mouthparts and form part of the feeding apparatus. Their last pair of legs are not used for movement either but vary in use by species, some use it for defensive or sensory functions or prey apprehension, and some others for courtship.
Some people keep centipedes as pets: Although there are centipede breeders, most centipedes sold in the pet trade come from the wild. The most commonly available for pets and zoological displays are the giant centipedes from the Scolopendra genus. Pet centipedes are kept in sealed glass containers, with a large surface area, of minimum 60 centimetres (24 inches) square for larger species. They require a layer of coconut fibre and substrate of soil for burrowing. They can be fed with pre-killed crickets, mealworm, and cockroaches weekly or biweekly. They always require a shallow dish of water.
Centipedes are venomous, aggressive, and potentially dangerous for humans, especially young children. Centipede bites can cause skin damage, blisters, bruising, inflammation, and sometimes gangrene. The enclosures should be escape proof. Although centipedes cannot climb smooth glass or acrylic, do not provide them a source to climb and reach the lid. They usually require a minimum humidity of 70 percent; rainforest species need more. Proper ventilation occurs with a grid cover with small holes on the side of the sealed glass container. Be sure that the holes are too small for the centipede to crawl out. Temperate species thrive between 20 and 25 C (68–72 F) while tropical between 25 and 28 C (77–82.4 F).
Do not worry if you does not see your pet centipede crawling during the day: Centipedes are night crawlers and do their prey after dark.
Living with a centipede: When compared to most arthropods, centipedes live relatively long. Centipedes generally live for two or three years, and some live beyond five years too. Unlike insects, who complete their growth on reaching adulthood, centipedes continue to molt and grow as adults.
You probably would not expect a centipede to be a good mother, but quite a large number of them take care of their young yous. Female tropical centipedes (Scolopendromorpha) and soil centipedes (Geophilomorpha), lay their egg mass in underground burrows. The mother protects her eggs from harm, by wrapping wraps her body around them, and remains with them until they hatch.
Except for the slow-moving soil centipedes, which are built to burrow, Chilopods can run fast. A centipede’s body balances in a cradle of long legs. When those multiple legs start moving, this provides the centipede more manoeuvrability over and around obstacles, as it escapes predators or chases down prey. The tergites—the dorsal surface of their body segments—may also be modified to keep their body from swaying while in motion.
Centipedes Prefer Dark and Moist Environments: Arthropods often have a waxy coating on the cuticle to help prevent water loss, but centipedes lack this waterproofing. Most centipedes live in dark, moist environments, like under leaf litter or in damp, rotting wood. Those that inhabit deserts or other arid environments often modify their behaviour to minimize the risk of dehydration. They may delay activity until seasonal rains arrive, or when the humidity rises, for example, and diapauses during the hottest, driest spells.
Conclusion
Centipedes may be creepy looking, but you may want to think twice before squishing that bug to bits. It is horrifying to watch a house centipede shoot across your floor and right under their couch. It is pretty safe to state that most people are positively terrified from these creepy crawling house guests. The house centipedes typically have 15 legs and can travel 1.3 feet-per-second, which explains why getting hold of you of these centipedes in the house is nearly impossible.
The standard response to a house centipede probably involves a shoe to squash it before it gets anywhere near or under another piece of furniture. However, like every other bug out there, a centipede does have a definite purpose. Moreover, yes, that purpose is useful.
House centipedes are well known for killing pests in your house that are entirely unwelcome. They kill roaches, flies, moths, silverfish, and termites. Centipedes use their two legs near their head in front, which has been modified to carry venom, and their other legs at the rear to scoop up the bug. This is called the lassoing technique, where centipedes grab their prey and wrap them up snugly with the rest of their legs.
These house centipedes kill the bugs, and you do not want in their house. They do not create any nests or webs. They are considered very active hunters and are actively looking for their next prey. They do not eat your wood, and they are not carrying any fatal diseases. House centipedes wants to feast on the bugs, which you detests.
Unlike the centipede, silverfish serves no real purpose except that they startle you when you go into the bathroom. These two bugs enjoy the same surrounding. Hence if you comes across a centipede, you must be thankful that there are not tons of silverfish in their place instead.
Unfortunately, though centipedes are helpful exterminators, they can also be quite alarming looking. They have this habit of moving very quickly, becoming motionless, only to charge at you immediately afterward. Their sudden movements can make the bravest people scream. Just because you should not kill them does not mean that you has to let centipedes control their house!
If you have enough mental strength, try to scoop them up with a plate or cup and gently ease them outside somewhere damp. That way, they can continue preying on neighbouring insects, and they can prevent them from getting into your house. In order to keep them out, take preventive steps to remove the dampness in areas like your bathroom and basement.
If you has only encountered you or two centipedes, then you could even consider allowing them to stay, since they are doing good work behind the scenes. If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone too and keep you from having to work overtime killing more invaders.
Although they do an excellent job at mentally scaring people, in reality, they cannot do much to hurt you. They do not want to bite humans, and they are not strong enough to harm even if they tried. They are also quite clean, unlike cockroaches and flies, since they spend a great deal of their day cleaning themselves.
If a centipede skid across the floor of your home, you is going to have questions. Lots of questions and we understand. These are disgusting bugs. Also, their disgusting appearance has led to many misconceptions about these alien-looking bugs. Hopefully, the following five facts will help to dispel any myths you has heard. While we are probably not likely to bring you to a place of full acceptance, we hope to at least make it, so you do not jump out of your skin every time they see you of these bugs appear in the most unexpected locations.
Now you can decide if you wish to live with or without centipede! The decision is your’s own.
Welcome to my blog. I have been doing pest control for years since my house, garden and pets were always attacked by various kinds of pests and as a result I had to know proper pest control techniques that works. In this blog I share all the tips and tricks that I know and I hope you’ll find it helpful.