Centipedes

Learn More About Centipedes

My first memories of centipedes, or at least my first encounter of the word, was way back in 1982. It was an Atari video game. We did not have an Atari, but my neighbor had it, and I would often go to their house to watch him play and, for its time, Centipede was a fun and exciting game; but like all the other video games, it would soon vanish from our minds and into our distant memories. I will encounter this word again a couple of years later, in Science class. Centipedes are those small insects that have around a hundred long, thin legs.

The usual pest in your house is commonly called the house centipede. Most house centipedes are yellowish-grey and have stripes down the length of their bodies and they actually have only 15 pairs of legs. They can be found not just in the United States, but also worldwide.

They are nocturnal, meaning they are active only during the night, and they move very fast. The several legs that they have to allow them to move fast, and since they are both predator and prey, these legs are very important to their survival.

What Do Centipedes Eat?

The good news is, they definitely do not eat humans. Centipedes have venoms that are reserved for their prey such as wasps, spiders, bed bugs, termites, silverfish, and other insects. In a way, they are your mini-exterminators.

Habitat

They are most of the time found in warm, humid climates but are highly adaptable and capable of surviving anywhere. They can live in a cool, damp environment. They can also move into your house where it is nice and warm and plenty of food to hunt down.

Centipedes are generally not dangerous to humans. There are some instances when they bite, but bite incidents are so rare; one would have to pick up a centipede with bare hands for that to happen. Of course, if there are too many of them inside your home, then they become nuisance pests.

Control

In order to prevent a centipede infestation:

• Remove clutter inside and around your house.
• Remove piles of leaves, grass cuttings, rocks, and wood on your property.
• Reduce moisture, as centipedes love damp or wet areas.
• Seal off cracks, gaps, and holes which the centipedes can use as entry points.
• Repair cracks with caulking.

If there are just too many of them, you may want to call in the experts. The presence of centipedes can mean there is an underlying problem; it could mean there is the presence of some other pests which the centipedes feed on. In this case, there is Lake Norman Home Services to help you solve all your pest problems.

The Leader In Pest Control

Lake Norman Home Services is the leader in pest control in North Carolina. They have excellent experience in exterminating pests, with a team of highly skilled and well-trained professionals who use state-of-the-art equipment and a method that is both family and pet-friendly. They also offer same-day service and discounts for regular service agreements.