02/17/17

Why Are House Centipedes In My Home?

Why Are House Centipedes In My Home?

2/17/2017

 

Oh, creepy crawly house centipede, why do you come into our homes?

In short, house centipedes find openings like cracks and crevices in your home or it’s foundation; and once inside, the house centipede will seek out moisture. They really do prefer to stay outdoors in moisture rich environments like under rocks, in damp mulch or hay, under leaf piles, inside trash heaps, and their favorite place, inside rotten wood; but, if they make their way into your home, you will find them in areas that are similar to their outdoor habitat, damp basements, musty closets, or other dark, damp areas.

Centipedes are arthropods, not insects. They are easy to identify since they have between 15-177 pairs of legs, and they run really fast. They can lift up their bodies to scurry around the floor and up walls and then drop almost flat when they stop. House centipedes are yellow to dark brown and sometimes have darker stripes. They will vary in size from ⅛ inch all the way up to 6 inches. Their main food source is silverfish, beetle larvae, cockroaches, spiders, bed bugs, and the like.

Although centipedes can bite and it can hurt because they have claw-like poisonous fangs on their front legs, they are not harmful to humans. They are a nuisance pest that you don’t want scurrying about your home. Due to their creepy quickness, it can be a bit unnerving.

Now, you could attempt to get rid of your centipede problem on your own, but most store bought products and preventative measures do not work effectively. You would need to seal up all entry points, and these guys can be pretty small and fit into some tiny crevices. You would need to check, repair, and replace broken screens, vents, and door and window frames. Placing door sweeps under all exterior doors may help too, but even then you can’t have guaranteed success. The most successful solution for centipedes, or any other unwanted pest, is to call on experienced pest control professionals that are trained and knowledgeable about all types of pest infestation problems. Year-round pest control would give the best possible solution for every home and business.

Here at Schendel Pest Services we are serious about getting to your pest problems ASAP, and can usually respond the same or the very next day after you call. We will use minimal amounts of product, and we can use bait products that are all natural, when possible. We will not use any products that could potentially cause harm to humans, pets, or greenery. Our technicians will be sure to discuss with you which program and products will best suit your needs. Give us a call today to discuss how we can help you become pest-free and maintain a pest-free environment in your home or business.