Did you recently witness the presence of one or two house centipedes in your house? But, do you know how to get rid of them? Then, let us make it clear that without relocating the source of their invasion, it’s impossible to eliminate them from the house. Any pest problem requires immediate attention, or else the potential challenges associated with the pest infestation can increase.
Behind every pest infestation, there are a few clear indications of the presence of these pesky pests. This sort of sign helps the homeowners to identify where these pests can mostly be found. Hence, locating the pest-prone areas is relatively essential to prevent the diseases that these nocturnal creatures like house centipede can spread.
House centipedes can easily access your house through sealing, crevices, door gaps, pipes, wires, and other structural voids. Therefore, if you want to overcome house centipede-related problems, it’s important to bridge these gaps using the required products. But before that, you should emphasize cleaning the house regularly with disinfectant to keep it pest-free. Because a contaminated and inadequately maintained home can be the breeding ground for the house centipedes. So, before buying any chemical-based pesticides, consider cleaning every nook and cranny to make it dust-free.
Usually, there are a few indications that can signify a centipede infestation in your residential building. So, if you want to eliminate these pests, first acknowledge why house centipedes break into a house.
Why Do Centipedes Keep on Invading a House? Centipedes, irrespective of their type and size, can be found in different surroundings ranging from deserts to moist places to dark forests. But like other arthropods, centipedes also find those locations captivating, which provides protection, food resources, and ideal environmental conditions.
Well, you must be aware that house centipedes are highly dependent on other insects for their sustainability. This sort of pests usually prefers having the following insects as their primary source of food:
- Bed bugs
- Silverfish
- Crickets
- Spiders
- Ground beetles
- Earthworms and even other centipedes
There are large centipedes that also consume small rats. So, if you already have these sorts of insects in your house, it is most likely centipede-prone. Without the assistance of the pest control services expert, it’s impossible to eliminate them from the house.
Environment Attractions is Another Reason! Yes! Dark, damp, and closed locations are mostly preferable for the house centipedes that are found across the country. A few species of centipedes prefer residing outside the house, but when it comes to house centipedes, they are completely comfortable in both indoor and outdoor environments.
You can mainly relocate these pests in the damp and inaccessible areas of the house. Or you can even find them in the kitchen store, where most of the insects come in search of food. So, we would highly recommend you clean the kitchen and the garbage bin regularly to avoid pest infestation.
Additionally, the homeowners have to check the places such as flood drains, cement block walls, boxes, and cluttered areas. The warmth and safety of a house may also attract these pests to stay for a prolonged time.
It becomes difficult for the pests to survive during winter, so they try to find a warm place. House centipedes have venomous bites, and that can be life-threatening for an individual. So, before any uncanny incidents occur consider removing them using natural repellent products.
3 Easy Ways to Identify House Centipedes
You must have already browsed through the internet to find out about the different colored house centipedes after locating one. But, the thing that you don’t know is where these harmful creatures can be found in the house. Simply head to the basements, bathroom closets to get clear signs of house centipedes. Sometimes, you can also find them under the bathtubs and sinks.
During the summer, they can be seen in attics and crawl spaces. But, you should always keep in mind that insects like centipedes usually come out of these places at night. And, during the daytime, they hide in places where inadequate light reaches. Centipedes typically leave no such signs of their presence and can be rarely seen by an individual. But, their nocturnal activities can help you to understand their invasion.
Moreover, like the other arthropods, centipedes don’t cause any damage to wooden structures. But, when you come across any sort of damage in the plants, it’s surely because of centipedes. This sort of millipede lives by consuming decayed plants and insects. Here, we are mentioning the possible signs of a house centipede:
[1] Dead Insects on the Floor. Did you find dead insect bodies in the bathroom or kitchen floor? Then, it simply signifies that you have centipedes in the house. So, if you see pests like cockroaches or spiders, make sure you take immediate action. Because predators like centipedes prefer having these sorts of pests more. Garbage smell is another reason why centipedes enter into a house. So, remove these pests immediately to prevent centipede infestation.
[2] Sign of Insect Bites. If there are plenty of holes in the floor or walls of the house, there is a high probability that centipedes have invaded through that. Since these creatures are small, it is not that easy to identify them. But, if you find an insect bite on your body in the morning, it can be a centipede when you wake up. You can browse through the internet to check how a centipede bite actually looks like.
[3] If It’s Winter, It’s Definitely a Centipede! Yes! Creatures like house centipede can’t sustain the cold weather. So, they immediately try to find hot-humid-dusty surroundings during this season. You should always consider hiring pest control experts during winter to prevent pest-related problems.
Effective Home Remedies
It’s almost impossible to prevent the house centipedes from entering the building even after sealing the gaps or cracks. But, you can easily eliminate them without using any hazardous chemical products. Yes! When it comes to dealing with pests, safety should be your prime concern.
Therefore, it’s important to acknowledge the natural remedies to eliminate the centipede infestation. Here, we are compiling 5 best home remedies that can help you to get rid of the house centipedes:
[1] Cayenne Pepper. You might find several natural remedies that repel house centipedes, but nothing can beat cayenne pepper. Because these sorts of products contain peppers like capsaicin which produces a fierce heat that is known as one of the most effective repellents.
[2] Boric Acid. Do you have boric acid in the house? Then, consider sprinkling it in the susceptible places where you think the house centipedes can reside. By doing this, you can get rid of these pests within a short span.
[3] Diatomaceous Earth. It’s another human-friendly product that can remove the house centipedes naturally. Make sure you have availed the necessary measures such as wearing a mask or respirator while sprinkling this powder for eliminating these pests.
[4] Cedar Oil. When it comes to overcoming house centipede-related problems, the contribution of natural insecticides like cedar oil is unparalleled. Applying this solution in the dark or damp areas of the house will cause suffocation and osmotic dehydration in centipedes. So, opt for this product to put an end to pest infestation.
[5] Water and Soap Spray. Using the right proportion of water and soap spray can help you eliminate the house centipedes at the earliest. Also, the product is easily available and one of the most used items for homeowners. When you spray the mixture of water and soap on the centipedes, it will cause dehydration and ultimately kill them.
Is that All? Or Is There Anything Else that Can be Applied to Eliminate the House Centipedes? The list of products that can help you to get rid of the centipede infestation still goes on. You can place sticky traps in the places where centipedes can be found to trap them easily. Using a dehumidifier in the damp areas of the house can prevent the centipedes from invading the house.
Make sure you have eliminated the stale food from the dining or kitchen areas. Further, the homeowner can place insect catchers right below the ceilings to quickly take down the house centipedes. Don’t forget to contact a handyman to get window or door covers, to prevent these pests from entering the house.
