A house centipede is a highly unpleasant sight for any homeowner. They look scary due to their multiple legs and weird look, but they are not dangerous. It’s their looks that deter homeowners. They are not insects but arthropods that grow 1-3 inches long. Their ideal hiding spots are in damp and secluded places like under stones or organic matter (compost and leaf litter). Centipedes invade the house more in warm weather. One of the main concerns for homeowners is to get rid of the existing ones and prevent further invasion. This blog highlights the ways to get rid of them and preventive measures to restrict their entry.
How to Identify Centipedes?
House centipedes grow between 1 and 1½ inches long and are grayish yellow. They have three dark strips that run along the length of their back. They have 15 segments on their body, each segment with a pair of long legs banded with white.
Though house centipedes prefer to be secluded, they at times invade the house and can be seen in damp areas of the house, like bathrooms or basements. They also take shelter in tubs and sinks. They find hiding spaces in the attic area or in the crawl spaces during warm months. You can barely see these centipedes during the daytime because they are highly active at night.
Why Do Centipedes Seek Shelter Indoors?
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When centipedes look for their prey (spiders, ants, and roaches) and your indoor area gives them all, they tend to invade the indoor area in search of their prey.
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Places like the bathroom, kitchen, and basement give them the ideal humid conditions they look for.
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Centipedes are nocturnal, so they can be seen in the dark nook and corner of the indoor area.
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Centipedes seek hiding corners during extreme weather conditions like strong rainstorms, cold fronts or even hot spells because they can’t bear such conditions outdoors. Hence, they try to relocate indoors.
Ways to Get Rid of House Centipedes
Centipede invasion in the outdoors is not a matter of concern, but when these creatures invade the outdoor area, they easily enter the indoor area. Hence, it is important to restrict their entry outdoors as well indoors. Here are some of the ideas:
Drying Mulch Beds
Thick layers of mulch remain wet, so the best way to stop centipede invasion in these areas is to rake a thick layer of mulch out to ensure it dries fast. Also, clean all the leaf litter and rotting vegetation around your house.
Keep Potted Plants at a Height
When potted plants are kept at a height on the patio or deck, moisture build-up on the surface can be avoided. As a result, centipedes won’t get a shelter.
Seal the Gaps
Identify any gaps around door and window openings and seal them using caulk or spray foam. Also, make sure that the screen and door sweeps are intact.
Glue Boards
Though glue boards don’t directly attract centipedes, it will catch anything in the nearby areas, including centipedes. The best way to use glue boards is to keep them in areas where you can see them.
Vacuum
This idea works only when centipedes occasionally invade because vacuuming a centipede in bulk won’t help get rid of them completely.
Look for Moisture Issues
One of the most important ideas to keep little creatures at bay is to look for moisture in the form of rotting wood around the door frames or at any other spot. Once identified, work on reducing moisture because centipedes prefer to hide in damp and moist areas.
Maintain a Pest-Free Home
A pest-free home won’t attract centipedes because they invade indoors in search of prey like insects, spiders, cockroaches, and ants. Therefore, pest control at regular intervals is the best way to prevent their infestation.
Remove Unnecessary Clutter
Decluttering your home, especially the areas like the attic, basement, and closet where centipedes tend to hide, is highly effective in getting rid of them. Remove items such as old cardboard boxes, stacks of paper, and unused items because all these provide an ideal hiding place to centipede.
Maintain Cleanliness in the Yard
Yard maintenance is highly essential because centipedes enter the indoor area from the outdoor area. Hence, maintaining the outdoors is highly essential. Trim grass regularly, remove fallen leaves and piles of wood from outdoors.
Natural Repellant
Use of natural repellents like tea tree, lavender, and peppermint oil can deter centipedes. All you have to do is mix a few drops of essential oil and water in a spray bottle and spray it around the baseboards, windows, and doors. These are the areas that provide an entry point to them.
Store Firewood Away From Your Home
Store firewood at least 20 feet away from your house because centipedes find hiding places in woodpiles, and when you get this untreated firewood indoors, centipedes get an easy entry.
Conclusion
To deter centipedes is necessary not because they are dangerous, but because they look unpleasant owing to their multiple legs. There are several natural ways to keep them away from your home that are discussed in this blog. First, identify them and then find the right way to get rid of them.
