Centipede Pest Control

BEHAVIOR

Centipedes are found indoors in areas of high moisture, including basements, bathrooms and closets and can also be found in decaying vegetation, including potted plants. You may find them outdoors underneath stones, in rotting logs and in areas underneath porches, patios, and decking. They can get into your home through sections of loose siding on your home and through gaps and spaces around cables or pipes that come into your home.

When they come into contact with humans, centipedes have been known to give a bite that can be quite painful. In nature, their poison jaws deliver a venomous injection into insects to stun them, but if a human handles them roughly, this sting can be compared to that of a wasp. Centipedes can also be a nuisance to humans when these pests start congregating in large numbers inside a home.

CONTROL AND PREVENTION

Getting rid of centipedes on your own can be difficult, especially if you have conditions they find favorable inside or around your property. Centipedes are looking for dark and moist areas that also provide a source of food (soft-bodied insects), so if there are places inside or outside your structure that provide these environments, you need to eliminate them to help keep centipedes from finding your property attractive. Contacting a professional is the best way to be sure the problem is gone.

Do it yourself centipede treatments aren’t often effective, especially if the conditions that attract them continue to be present in or around your property. A Plunkett’s Pest Control technician knows what to do to help eliminate these pests from your property and can give you suggestions on environmental modifications to keep these pests from returning.

Preventing centipedes from entering your property can be difficult, but is not impossible. Eliminating damp areas in basements and bathrooms can be done through regular sanitation, effective ventilation and the use of a dehumidifier.  You can also modify the environment around your home to keep these pests from being attracted to your property. This can be done by keeping lawns and grassy areas cut short to allow for quick drying, and by removing thick mulch from your structure’s foundation.