House Centipede: Why You Should Never Kill Them? Before You Squish That, Read This Amazing Facts

They may not look very nice, but they serve a vital function within your home ecosystem. Never kill a house centipede. You should know it... Centipedes can be killers of other insects in the home, such as ants, cockroaches, or spiders.

If you are one of those who cannot stand insects, there may be no worse nightmare for you than being in your house and discovering a small thirty-legged bug crawling up the wall or running like lightning across the floor.

Before you scream or get ready to smash it with your shoe, take a look at it first. Is it a house centipede? Leave it alone! House pest control experts advise that you do nothing to it and allow it to dwell in damp, dark corners that you don't go to anyway.

With the heat, it's time to welcome many new animals into your home. Above all, insects. And, although you probably do not like to share your home with some of them, there are certain benefits for which it is better not to get rid of these not always dear animals.

What Do Centipedes Eat?

Their name refers to having "100 legs," but most species actually have about 30 legs. Most of the time, centipedes act as predators to other household insects, spending their days prowling lonely corners in search of cockroaches, ants, spiders, termites, and even beetle larvae . They do this by means of their front limbs , which they use as poisonous fangs to disable their victims.

Centipedes usually appear in the summer, as they hatch in the spring after wintering. The most common places you'll find them will be in damp corners with poor lighting : the faucet, the sink, the bathtub, behind some furniture, the basement, etc.

This does not mean that you should open your doors to these insects, but if you find them running around your house or the wall (because they are also quite fast), try to put them in a jar and release them where they are near tree leaves and moisture.

If you meet them frequently, then you will know that you have a plague, but if you see them very occasionally and during the summer, everything is fine, because where there are centipedes, there are hardly other insects.

How to Prevent Centipedes From Coming Back

House centipedes are most active at night. House centipedes eat other small insects, such as silverfish, spiders, cockroaches, and fire bugs.

Their presence should not surprise you, since they are synanthropic : they are able to adapt to human urbanization and seek the warmth of our homes.

While centipedes can be beneficial because they are sneaky predators that eat other insects, seeing them in your home can be quite scary. Learn more about these fast and elusive animals and find out how to prevent centipedes from entering your home.

To avoid pests, you must seal window frames, doors and cracks; and dry any area of the house that can retain moisture.

How to Get Rid of Centipedes in Your Home

Keep compost piles and decaying vegetation away from the house. Seal windows and gaps to prevent centipedes from entering.

If you find house centipedes or millipedes in your basement, try to make the areas less humid and therefore less attractive for centipedes.