Why You Should Never Kill A House Centipede Inside Your House Again

Centipedes are easily recognized by their long, segmented bodies, many legs, long antennae, and small venomous mouths. They can range in color from yellow to dark brown. Centipedes have anywhere from fifteen to seventy-seven pairs of legs, which help them move quickly on the ground and climb walls. But will they bite if they get close to you? Though centipedes can bite and inject venom, they typically don’t pose a major risk to humans or animals. Their bites might cause mild pain or redness but aren’t linked to serious health concerns.

Even so, centipedes aren’t creatures you’d want to interact with. Keep reading to learn more about centipedes, their predators, and why you should avoid killing house centipedes, plus how pest control can help in South Portland.

Here are five things you may not know about centipedes in your basement:

1. A centipede’s age is connected to how many legs it has. They can regrow lost legs during molting, and each molt can increase their leg count.
2. Centipedes are some of the oldest creatures on Earth, with a history going back over 400 million years.
3. They can move extremely fast, covering more than a foot in under a second due to their many legs and segmented bodies.
4. Centipedes have a varied diet and can eat many kinds of animals, including insects, worms, and even larger prey.
5. Some types, like the house centipede, can live for up to six years.

Despite their impressive traits, you probably don’t want these creatures in your basement.

So, who hunts centipedes? Birds, spiders, frogs, mice, beetles, and snakes all prey on them. Larger centipedes eat even bigger animals like frogs and spiders, typically targeting younger or weaker ones.

If you spot a house centipede, you may feel like getting rid of it. But it’s better to leave it be. A few centipedes can help control pests like spiders and roaches. They don’t build nests or webs, so they won’t cause further pest problems. However, too many centipedes can become bothersome and may attract more pests.

Centipedes can live for up to ten years, so it’s not ideal to let one stay in your house for too long. If you notice an infestation or centipedes aren’t fully solving your pest problems, it might be time to call a professional for help.