House centipedes are house-invading arthropods and are attracted to places where they can get food and protection.
What attracts centipedes in your house
House centipedes get into your house through cracks, holes, gaps, drains, or doors and windows that are poorly sealed.
- Centipedes feed on pests, and so a pest infestation in your house will attract them to your home. You can find them in boxes, drains, block walls, and in any clutter on the floor.
- They are also attracted to cool, damp and dark places. If your house has these conditions, especially your basement or closets, centipedes will be drawn to it.
- During winter, however, the centipedes look for warm and safe locations for reproduction. Your heated home becomes an ideal location for them during winter because they cannot survive outdoors.
Do house centipedes bite
Outdoor centipedes can have venomous bites, but these house centipedes hardly bite, and if they do, their bite is harmless.
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Should I kill house centipedes
Some people consider house centipedes useful as they can help get rid of pests in your house. Others crush them on sight, leaving a stain on the floor. Centipedes do not destroy your wood or carry any fatal diseases.
How to get rid of centipedes
- You can repel house centipedes by destroying the favourable conditions that attract them to your house. They are attracted by moisture, and so you can begin by keeping your home clean and dry to repel the centipedes and repairing any water leaks to reduce moisture issues. You can also use dehumidifiers.
- You can also seal off any cracks, holes, and gaps that the centipedes might use to gain entry into your house.
- Reduce any clutter that the centipedes could hide in by organising and tidying up your house. You can also discard unnecessary items.
- Because house centipedes are attracted to your home by pests, you can remove them by combating pest infestation in your home. Fumigation helps kill and repel pests that are the centipedes’ food source. This removes the centipedes from your house in search of other food sources lest they starve to death.
- Vacuuming your floor is also another way to remove centipedes from your house.
- You can get rid of centipedes also by killing them. You can use a hard object to crush them on sight.
- You can use sticky traps as they help detect pests and get rid of house centipedes. Sticky traps are locally available at a local store. Place them in the high centipede harborage areas. Alternatively, you can make your sticky traps at home. Pour corn syrup and water in equal amounts into a saucepan and let the liquid boil. Apply the solution on construction paper cut into desirable sizes. Place the papers in centipede prone areas. Sticky traps will catch centipedes and other pests as well.
- It is not necessary to kill the centipede as it does not harm anyone. If you are kind enough, you can capture it and release it outside your house where it will thrive.
- Put up a gravel or stone perimeter around your house to act as a barrier against house centipedes. If you prefer a mulch barrier, ensure you turn the bed every month to enable it to dry.
- You can use insecticides to remove the centipedes in your house, although insecticides can be harmful when misused. It would be best if you sprayed the insecticide on the centipede harborage areas. The insecticide paralyses the centipede causing it to die
Natural repellent of house centipedes
Tea tree oil or peppermint oil
These essential oils naturally repel house centipedes. To make your spray, add 25 drops of your preferred essential oil into a spray bottle with 6 ounces of water and shake. Use the mixture to spray around holes, cracks, basement entry points, door frames, and windows. It is advisable to spray this mixture at least once per week to keep centipedes away.
Mint and pepper repellent
Strong scents repel the centipedes. You can grow mint leaves around the perimeter of your house to deter the entry of the centipedes. You can also sprinkle a layer of cayenne pepper on the centipedes’ harborage areas.
Boric acid
Boric acid can kill the centipedes upon ingestion and through the damage of their exoskeleton, which results in the centipedes’ death by dehydration. To make the spray, fill your plastic bottle with boric acid and squeeze it along the harborage areas of the house centipedes.
Diatomaceous earth
Diatomaceous earth is a powder that occurs naturally and is an insecticide. Apply a layer of the powder on the entry points used by the centipedes. When the centipedes walk on it, their exoskeletons are damaged, leading to dehydration then death.
Signs of centipede infestation
Humans can hardly spot house centipedes as they are nocturnal. They are active during the night, are agile, and move at incredible speeds.
- However, if your house has pests, there will be a centipede infestation as pests are their primary food source. Pests may be attracted to your home by food particles and dirt.
- During winter, you can experience house centipede infestations since the warmth in your house attracts them.
- If you experience bites or creatures walking on your body at night, your house could be infested by centipedes.
Get house centipedes out of your bed
You can get rid of house centipedes from your bedroom and subsequently from your bed by eliminating their favourable habitat. Because they love moisture, ensure your space is dry using an air dehumidifier, sealing up cracks, and installing bathroom fans. You can also get rid of them by eliminating their food source. This will require getting rid of all pests that are attracting pesticides to your house through the use of insecticide or pest control services.
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Conclusion
A centipede infestation is an early sign of pests in your house. Once you see the centipedes, you should take action immediately. Ensure to improve your house’s cleanliness because dirt attracts pests. Use your method of choice to get rid of house centipedes and ensure you keep your pets away from any substance you apply in your home to get rid of house centipedes that could be harmful to them.