There are more than 2,000 species of centipedes in the world, most of which live in the open. Sometimes they also venture inside the house, especially in the cold months. While they are harmless to humans and help kill the myriad of spiders and insects around the house, centipede bites contain venom, and they are also unwanted guests. If you want to know how to get rid of centipedes completely, you should do the following things.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Killing Centipedes
Step 1. Kill it as soon as you see it
Its very long legs make it move very fast, so you have to hurry! Centipedes generally don't come into the house in large numbers, so when you swat or spray insect venom on them, you're actually getting rid of the problem. Keep in mind that if you're not brave enough to approach the centipede to kill it, even a vacuum cleaner won't help.
If you don't want to kill the centipede, try catching it in a container or jar and releasing it outdoors. But this kind of effort will usually result in shrill screams, broken jars, and escaped centipedes
Step 2. Try setting a glue trap
Place it in every nook and cranny where centipedes are common. You may also catch other insects hanging around your home. Note that a large centipede that is caught can break free by breaking off and leaving some of its sticky legs trapped, so glue traps are most effective for small centipedes only, not large ones.
Step 3. Try using insecticides when the above methods don't work
Keep in mind that insecticides are only a temporary solution. Every farm and garden supply store must have insecticides. Make sure you follow the directions on the packaging. Although pesticide products will not kill people and pets, it is better not to be exposed to them in the long term.
- Glue traps can give you a clue as to which areas the centipedes are traversing a lot, so you can add insecticide spray or glue traps there. If one trap you set is getting too many and the other is empty, focus your attention on the traps that trap more.
- If you want to kill centipedes without poisoning the earth, yourself and your pets, use natural pesticides like boric acid or diatomite sand which is safe for digestion to eradicate centipedes repeatedly.
- Insecticidal products containing plant-derived pyrethrins kill centipedes immediately when exposed to them, and can be used in smoke or spray form.
Step 4. Put up barriers around your house
Since centipedes come from outside and enter your home, think about creating some kind of defensive trench around your home, be it chemical, natural or other insecticides. When the centipede tries to get in, it will come face to face with the barrier, and even if it manages to get in, it will either die immediately or will be about to die by the time you find it. Try using an organic pesticide that contains cyhalothrin, which is usually used to kill ants but also works for centipedes.
Step 5. Seek professional help
If you've been doing everything you can to get rid of the centipedes and to no avail, it's time to hire an exterminator. He or she will scour your home to map any potential entry holes, find and destroy centipede eggs, and spray effective pesticides on parts of your home. We have to admit that the exterminators work better and can ensure that the centipedes are wiped out. If you are desperate but you can afford it, it is better to use the services of an exterminator.
Part 2 of 2: Get Rid of Centipedes Forever
Step 1. Get rid of insects and other pests from inside the house
The centipede will have no prey to eat, so it will either die or go elsewhere. A centipede without food is the same as a centipede that is dead or about to move.
Step 2. Keep your house dry
Centipedes will dry out and die if they are not in a humid environment. Clean basements, bathrooms, and other damp places, and use moisture-absorbing materials.
Place bags filled with silica in the most humid places in your home. Silica is a moisture absorbent that absorbs moisture from the air and soil surface. Get silica from packaged goods, such as new shoes, or buy them cheap. Always place it in the most humid places in your home
Step 3. Remove organic material from around your home
Place firewood, humus, tarpaulin and compost storage bins as far from your home as possible. Clean the remnants of compost, leaves, wood and other organic waste. Consider removing sources of moisture such as compost bins if possible.
Step 4. Close all entrances
This is the main thing that will prevent centipedes from entering your home. Seal any cracks in the cement foundation, and fill any gaps around doors and windows.
- Install weatherproof seals all over the exterior of your home to prevent centipedes from entering.
- Patch all holes in the wall.
- Check the gutters and gutter holes, removing any leaves, twigs, or anything else blocking the flow. This blockage has the potential to become a home for centipedes.
Step 5. Try using cayenne pepper
One natural way to prevent centipedes from entering your home is to sprinkle a thin layer of cayenne pepper at points where the centipede can enter, both outside and inside your home. Keep dogs and cats away from cayenne pepper, though they won't hurt if they touch it out of curiosity.
Tips
- The only groups of creatures that are threatened when there are centipedes in your home are insects and other pests, as centipedes kill and eat creatures you may also want to get rid of such as mites, termites, bookworms, spiders and even cockroaches.
- Centipedes rarely bite humans, and sometimes their jaws are not strong enough to penetrate the layers of human skin when they are trying to defend themselves. If it manages to bite, it usually feels like a small bee sting.
- A 'Raid' type of insect spray will kill the centipedes quickly, if you don't want to go too close to killing them.
Warning
- Put caps on all drain holes if possible.
- Be careful when using any pesticides. Read the instructions carefully.
