If you’re someone who can’t stand the sight of worms or co*ckroaches, or if you have arachnophobia, chances are you won’t appreciate having house centipedes around you, either. House centipedes are common household insects known for their many legs that help them scurry past you in the blink of an eye. Although house centipedes don’t pose a threat to humans and don’t typically harm infrastructure, seeing them in your home can be alarming.
Read on to learn more about where house centipedes come from, what they look like, and what they eat, as well as what you can do to prevent a house centipede infestation and how to get rid of them.
What Are House Centipedes?
The house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) is the most common centipede found in the U.S. These centipedes are sometimes referred to as “hundred-leggers,” due to their many pairs of legs. House centipedes are usually about an inch or two long. Their bodies are divided into 15 segments, each with a pair of long legs. Other species of centipedes have more legs, but they always have an odd number of pairs of legs.
Centipedes are generally dark brown or yellow and sometimes have darker colors and markings. Adult centipedes have three dark parallel lines running from their head to the rear end of their bodies and a hair-covered pair of antennae on their heads. While some centipede species have compound eyes containing up to 200 optical units, others have a few simple eyes on each side of the head. Some centipedes don’t have any eyes.
House centipedes have a pair of legs called forcipules right below their mouths, converted to carry out pincer-like actions. They use these pincer-like legs to discharge a venomous sting at their prey or use it for self-defense. The pair of legs at the end of centipedes’ bodies is very long and resembles the antennae in front. This makes it tough for the centipede’s prey to differentiate the front from the rear.
Although they can look disgusting to some, they don’t harm humans. On the contrary, they help you by preying on other common household pests such as co*ckroaches, silverfish, firebrats, carpet beetle larvae, spiders, termites, bed bugs, and other small arthropods. Their long legs allow them to run fast as they chase their prey, pounce on them, and wrap their long spindly legs around them, preventing them from escaping.
House centipedes have three life stages — egg, larva, and adult. They generally spend the winter outdoors. They lay their eggs in summer. Female house centipedes prefer the soil, where they can lay up to 35 eggs over a few days.
Newly hatched larvae, which are rarely seen, have four pairs of legs. The larvae undergo six molts and gain new pairs of legs after every molt. For example, centipedes will have 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 pairs of legs respectively after each molting stage, while after the final molt, they have 15 pairs of legs. They undergo four post-larval instars before reaching maturity.
Where Do House Centipedes Live?
The most common hideouts of house centipedes are damp and cool spots such as those in basem*nts, closets, bathrooms, potted plants, unexcavated areas under the house, and under the bark of firewood stored indoors. Centipedes usually don’t move through drain pipes.
Centipedes are nocturnal creatures that hide in dark, damp, and cool places during the daytime and venture out in the dark to hunt. House centipedes also thrive outdoors and live under logs, rocks, and fallen tree bark.
Signs You Have a House Centipede Infestation
Since centipedes are nocturnal, it can be tough to determine whether you have them in your house. One of the first signs of a centipede infestation is seeing them regularly in your home. But this could signify the presence of other arthropods or pests that are prey for the house centipede–a sign of a bigger problem.
If you’re already facing a pest infestation with the likes of co*ckroaches, termites, and spiders in your house, the chance of having house centipedes is higher. Basem*nts or other damp and dark areas in your house that don’t see much activity are a perfect place for house centipedes to thrive.
Health Risks of House Centipedes
While house centipedes themselves do not pose health risks, their presence indicates that there are other pests around.
House centipedes don’t harm or destroy stored products, fabrics, pets, humans, or the structural integrity of your building and are generally only considered a nuisance. All house centipedes are venomous, but they typically run away from humans, and they very rarely bite. Even if house centipedes bite you, it’s considered harmless.
How to Get Rid of House Centipedes
Because house centipedes help you control infestations of other, more bothersome pests, there’s little reason to exterminate them. Pesticides are of limited effectiveness in eliminating house centipedes. With their long legs, they hold their bodies high when they move, allowing them limited contact with pesticide-laden surfaces, making most pesticides less effective.
The best way to control their numbers is by reducing the humidity in the open areas of your house, such as by activating dehumidifiers and fans.
In your basem*nt, eliminate spots and fill in cracks and crevices around the walls. Keeping your basem*nt neat also helps prevent the collection of damp spots around boxes and other items, which could attract these creatures.
Although you may not like the sight of house centipedes, they can be helpful in controlling more concerning pests. Getting rid of other pests from your house will go a long way toward reducing the number of house centipedes you see.
House Centipedes: An Overview
House centipedes, scientifically known as Scutigera coleoptrata, are common household insects in the United States. They are characterized by their numerous pairs of long legs and are often referred to as "hundred-leggers." Despite their alarming appearance, house centipedes do not pose a threat to humans and are beneficial in controlling other household pests such as co*ckroaches, silverfish, spiders, and termites. Let's delve into the details of what house centipedes are, where they come from, their appearance, behavior, and how to deal with them.
What Are House Centipedes?
House centipedes are typically about an inch or two long and have bodies divided into 15 segments, each with a pair of long legs. They are generally dark brown or yellow with three dark parallel lines running from their head to the rear end of their bodies. These centipedes have a pair of legs called forcipules right below their mouths, which are used to discharge a venomous sting at their prey or for self-defense. They are nocturnal creatures and are known for their ability to run fast as they chase and prey on other household pests. House centipedes have three life stages — egg, larva, and adult, and they generally spend the winter outdoors, laying their eggs in the summer.
Where Do House Centipedes Live?
House centipedes are commonly found in damp and cool spots such as basem*nts, closets, bathrooms, potted plants, unexcavated areas under the house, and under the bark of firewood stored indoors. They are nocturnal creatures that hide in dark, damp, and cool places during the daytime and venture out in the dark to hunt. Additionally, they thrive outdoors and live under logs, rocks, and fallen tree bark.
Signs of House Centipede Infestation and Health Risks
The presence of house centipedes in a home can indicate the presence of other pests, as they prey on common household pests. While house centipedes themselves do not pose health risks and are generally considered a nuisance, their presence may signify the existence of other pests in the house. They do not harm or destroy stored products, fabrics, pets, humans, or the structural integrity of buildings, and they are venomous but typically run away from humans and very rarely bite.
How to Get Rid of House Centipedes
Given that house centipedes help control infestations of other pests, there is little reason to exterminate them. Pesticides are of limited effectiveness in eliminating house centipedes due to their long legs, which allow them limited contact with pesticide-laden surfaces. The best way to control their numbers is by reducing the humidity in open areas of the house, such as by activating dehumidifiers and fans. Additionally, in basem*nts, eliminating spots and filling in cracks and crevices around the walls can help prevent their presence. While the sight of house centipedes may be alarming to some, they can be helpful in controlling more concerning pests, and getting rid of other pests from the house will reduce the number of house centipedes seen .
In summary, house centipedes are fascinating creatures that play a beneficial role in controlling other household pests. Understanding their behavior and habitat can help homeowners coexist with them effectively.
