There is something that happens inside of a person’s brain when they see a bug. How visceral their reaction is, depends on what bug they see. Pests like flies and ants are so common that they do not usually invoke emotions beyond annoyance. Centipedes on the other hand regularly draw fear out of the people they surprise. The question is: are centipedes more dangerous than flies, ants, and other bugs in our area? To answer this question, here are some things you should consider.
How Centipedes Get Into Homes
Centipedes have a habit of showing up out of nowhere in places where they don’t belong. How did they get halfway up the wall of your bathroom when it is in the middle of your home and nowhere near an exterior door? Well, for one, centipedes are dexterous. You already know they climb walls. They use this ability to scale the exterior of homes looking for cracks, gaps, and openings to get indoors. In addition to this, centipedes are quick and can travel at 1.3 feet per second.
The Dangers Centipedes Pose
The centipede is both carnivorous and venomous and regularly hunts and kills other creatures around its size. Thankfully, these long arthropods pose no real threat to people or larger animals like cats and dogs here in Aiken. The biggest problems these pests pose come with their presence inside homes and the way they catch people off guard. They also can leave nasty stains on light-colored walls when squished.
What Things Attract Centipedes?
Centipedes come inside for three reasons. The first is to hunt for insects, arthropods, and spiders. The more problems your home and property have with pests, the more likely the centipede will be to come indoors. The second reason centipedes invade homes is to avoid inclement weather. Finally, and most commonly, centipedes come inside by accident. They are natural explorers and quick on their feet. This often leads to them scaling the exterior of homes, finding entry points, and following them to see where they lead.
Prevention Tips To Keep Out Centipedes
If you regularly find centipedes inside your home and are tired of smearing them into your walls, you need to implement some prevention tips. Here are a few great strategies our experts recommend you try to keep these nasty-looking creatures out of your living areas:
- Eliminate sources of water build-up in and around your home.
- Make sure your gutters are in good working condition.
- Trim back bushes, tree branches, and other greenery from your home’s exterior.
- Use a caulking gun or some liquid cement to fill in holes, gaps, and cracks in your home’s exterior foundation and spacing around window/door frames.
- Repair rips, tears, and other damage to window/door screens.
- Equip all of your exterior doors with high-quality door sweeps.
- Address problems with weatherstripping.
- Use a dehumidifier indoors.
- Wipe up access moisture inside sinks and tubs.
How Professionals Handle Centipedes
There is only one approach that is guaranteed to get and keep centipedes out of your Aiken home and that is to hire a pest control professional. At Aiken Pest, we offer comprehensive service options to eliminate and prevent these invasive and annoying pests. Our pest control plans also cover a range of common area pests that centipedes invade to hunt.
Give our team a call today to learn more about our general pest control plans or to find a solution that solves your centipede problems. No matter what pests are in your home, the professionals at Aiken Pest have your back.