Some pests aren’t threatening to people or our loved ones, but that doesn’t make them any better to have on your property. Centipedes are this type of pest and, even though they are harmless, they can prove to be quite the headache. Additionally, their presence inside a home or business is often evidence of a larger pest infestation.
What Do Centipedes Look Like?
Centipedes derive their name from the Latin word for “hundred legs.” They don’t have nearly that many appendages, but these worm-like creatures can indeed look like something out of old myths or distant planets. Aside from their long bodies and many legs, centipedes typically have the following traits:
- Color: Centipedes are usually dark brown or gray in color.
- Shape: With so many legs, you can bet centipedes are quite long, typically growing around 100mm -- several inches -- in length. They have long antennae on the fronts of their bodies.
- Features: Centipedes are harmless to large animals and humans, but they are sturdy predators in the bug world. They have hard top shells and jaws that can crunch down on even large bugs and spiders.
- Behavior: Centipedes are experts at stealthily lying in wait for prey to come along. They stick to dark, damp places, which means property owners aren’t likely to spot them, either.
Dangerous For Bugs, Safe For People
Despite their carnivorous ways and paralyzing venom, centipedes don’t typically bite people and the chemical compound they inject into their prey is not harmful to much larger creatures. Centipedes can actually be a boon for gardens and yards since they prey on many of the herbivorous insects that destroy flowers and vegetables. However, centipedes inside a home -- even out in the garden -- can be a sign of larger pest problems. You don’t want any of these critters invading your property.
Centipede Prevention For Your Property
Keeping pests out in the first place is the only way to truly avoid the problems that accompany them. The following are helpful things to consider to keep out insects of all kinds:
- Food storage: Centipedes themselves won’t raid your food supplies, but they will hunt the smaller bugs that forage all over for morsels. Secure your food and trash well to curb insect populations.
- Deep cleaning: The same goes for the crumbs and spills that may not get cleaned up regularly -- it all attracts pests. Deep clean regularly, especially in hard-to-reach areas like around big furniture and appliances.
- Moisture control: Many insects, centipedes included, prefer moist areas. They are often found in basements, bathrooms, or other areas where water vapor pools or lingers in the air. Proper ventilation and pipe maintenance is a must.
- Crack sealing: Bugs looking to forage indoors for food can squeeze through the smallest cracks or holes around your property. Regularly inspect these areas and use heavy-duty sealants to mend imperfections.
Professional Advice Is A Click Away
Pest prevention is an ongoing and necessary part of responsible property ownership, and doing it alone can be daunting. That’s why it’s always better to turn to the professionals who do the job quickly, effectively, and safely.
Only a trained pair of eyes knows where to look for pests that lurk in the shadows, and proven solutions by experts will help you rest assured that the problem will be solved, not just covered up. Partnering with Pro Active Pest Control, even just for routine inspections of your Tracy property, can give you a leg up on these many-legged invaders.
Don’t let centipedes and other pests make a jungle out of your property, turn to Pro Active Pest Control for more advice or assistance today.