Centipedes are long, worm-like pests with many legs. They can be easily spotted, though they are rarely seen by home owners due to their nocturnal nature. Centipedes can have over 100 pairs of legs and the largest species can grow up to 12 inches in length! While larger species can grow extremely long, house centipedes are usually 1 1/2 inches in length and very quick, making them even more difficult to spot. They are usually dark brown or yellowish in color and can have spots or stripes along their bodies. Centipedes always have an odd number of leg pairs, and have a pair of long antennae that are covered in hairs. House centipedes, specifically, have 15 pairs of legs and 3 longitudinal stripes along their bodies. While they do have venom glands, they are generally harmless to humans.

House centipedes may look scary, but they are actually harmless to humans! House centipedes have very small mouths that they cover with limbs called maxillipeds, which contain claw-like structures containing venom glands. These venom glands are used to poison their prey, but are harmless to humans. The bites of centipedes do not often break human skin, making them of little physical threat to homeowners. Other larger species of centipedes can inflict painful bites that do break skin and cause swelling. Most often though, it is the house centipede that homeowners notice invading their homes. They mostly feed on other insects like spiders and flies, but are also known to feast on plants. 

Centipedes love environments with high amounts of moisture. This is why they can often be found in bark, under stones and rocks, in piles of trash, and under piles of leaves and grass. Their favorite spaces to invade in homes are bathrooms, potted plants, dark crawlspaces, and basements. Thus, the best way to keep your home free of centipedes is to reduce the amount of moisture around your home. Homeowners should remove piles of grass, leaves, trash, rotting wood, and debris or rocks from around their homes. Basements and crawlspaces should also be well ventilated. Keeping moist areas away will help keep centipedes away!

While reducing areas of moisture around the home can keep centipedes away, it can be difficult to get rid of an infestation once these pests have made it into your home. Many homeowners turn to DIY methods to remove one lone centipede that they find, but it can be difficult to control an infestation - especially since these pests are so difficult to spot. Thankfully, our Power Sprayer Treatment controls for centipedes and 70+ other common pests and keeps your home pest free for the long run. If you need to keep centipedes out of your home, visit our online services page and schedule a free inspection today!