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While not the most common of common household pests, centipedes are pests that regularly find their way into our homes. These leggy pests like to use our Columbia houses as a respite from dry weather and other harsh weather conditions.
Take back your home from centipedes with the help of The Original Bugman Pest Elimination, Inc. Our professionals provide the most effective pest control in Columbia, and we always strive to go above and beyond. Continue reading here to learn some helpful information about centipedes, including the most essential tidbit: how to get and keep them out of your home!
How To Identify Centipedes
The centipede's many long, thin legs make it reasonably easy for people to identify these pests. Centipedes have long, flattened worm-like bodies that grow between ⅛ of an inch and six inches long, depending on the species. They are usually yellowish-brown or dark brown, and some species have identifying markings like stripes. Their bodies are segmented, and each body segment has one pair of legs. The number of legs varies by species, but in general, a centipede can have anywhere between 15 and 177 legs. Additionally, centipedes also have long antennae, and the back pair of their legs is usually much longer than the rest.
Why Centipedes Can Be A Menace To Have Around Your Home
While not overly dangerous, centipedes belong outside, not inside our houses. Centipedes use their many long legs to scurry quickly from place to place, and their sudden movements can be startling and make people feel uncomfortable in their homes.
Furthermore, the centipede’s most menacing characteristic is its ability to use its jaws to bite and inject venom into people. The good news is that centipede venom isn’t potent enough to cause serious harm to people; the bad news is that their bites are quite painful. More good news is that centipede bites are rare because they do not seek people out to bite. Centipede bites usually occur when a centipede tries to stop itself from being crushed or otherwise harmed.
Factors That Attract Centipedes Into Your Home
More often than not, centipedes in Columbia wind up inside our houses after being attracted by moisture. These pests have high moisture needs, and when the temperature outside is extremely hot or there is a lack of rain, they migrate towards areas of moisture.
Places where moisture regularly builds up near our homes and may attract the attention of centipedes include:
- Dense vegetation
- Wood mulch
- Leaky hoses
- Drippy outdoor fixtures
- Spaces under flower pots, trash cans, and other containers
As centipedes move around near our homes, cracks in the foundation, gaps in cement walls, and gaps under basement doors provide them with entry points. Centipedes in houses will quickly move into areas with high humidity levels, like basements, crawl spaces, laundry rooms, and bathrooms.
Insect activity may also lead centipedes to your home. Centipedes are predators and feed on many different types of insects. If you have a lot of insects living in or near your home, it will attract the attention of centipedes.
The Most Effective Way To Get Rid Of Centipedes In Your House
When centipedes get into our homes, the best way to get rid of them is to reach out to a local pest control professional for assistance. At The Original Bugman Pest Elimination, Inc., our professionals know the centipedes that call our region home, how best to eliminate them from homes, and how to stop them from returning. By implementing our home pest control services, our experts will provide you with the necessary support and top-notch pest control services to remove centipedes from your Columbia home. Call today; we are here to help you reclaim your home from unwanted centipedes and other pests!