Are House Centipedes Dangerous?
Did you hear that scream? Someone just came across a house centipede. This 15-legged creature has an impressive appearance and wins the award for the most jump scares by a bug. House centipedes resemble a mutated spider mixed with the body of a worm. Are house centipedes dangerous? Let’s look a little more closely.
Get to Know a House Centipede
House centipedes are yellowish brown in color with detailed markings that run the length of their body. Fully grown, house centipedes reach a length of an inch and a half but their multi-versed legs give centipedes the illusion of being much larger. This is because the last two legs are typically twice as long as the centipede’s body.
A lucky house centipede can live up to three years and will lay anywhere from 60 to 150 eggs during their lifetime. Once an egg has hatched, the house centipede moves to the larval stage and will start off with only 4 legs. As the centipede grows, it goes through stages called molts. Each molt will produce more and more legs until the full 15 are formed. These 15 legs allow the centipede to run really, really fast and allow it to climb up walls too.
House centipedes love to bask in the cool and dark corners of the world or in your house for that matter. They can live their fullest lives indoors if necessary. In your home, you will find them coming out in your basement, laundry room, from underneath appliances, and in bathrooms around pipes. It will be difficult to know they are there because house centipedes are nocturnal so they are on the move at night. So let’s dive deeper to see if this makes house centipedes dangerous or just spooky.
Dangers of House Centipedes
House centipedes are a threat to all the other insects lurking around in your home. They are carnivores and love to hunt and feast on other bugs, especially spiders. House centipedes have developed a pouch of venom that, when bitten, will kill the insect they are getting ready to feast on. This makes house centipedes dangerous to all other insects and if they weren’t so scary, they could be a natural and free pest control method.
House centipedes very rarely bite humans or animals. It would take you trying to handle the centipede aggressively for it to latch down and bite you. Even if it did, the risk to humans is minimal. The venom of a house centipede is nothing compared to black widow spider bites or bee stings. The bite of a house centipede is not very noticeable on a pain scale and the venom may cause a very slight reaction. House centipedes are not dangerous to humans. They do not carry or spread diseases. The only danger to humans is our own psychological response to a phobia over the appearance of a house centipede.
Myths and Legends
House centipedes are alien-like creatures that have been at the forefront of many myths and legends. Many cultures share different symbolism of the centipede and what it means. Most recognize the centipede as a sign of evil and a creature of the underworld. This is because of their nature to hide in the dark places and the looks of them will send chills down your spine. Other countries believe the centipede is a powerful being and that its venom can be used in medicine to remove toxins. The rest have a belief that if you are in the presence of a centipede, that means they are there to bring you luck and happiness all throughout your life. No matter what country or culture believes in these myths, at the end of the day they are myths. Their prey find house centipedes dangerous because of their venom but they are of no danger to humans.
Avoiding House Centipedes
Being intentional with the care of your home goes a long way in avoiding being spooked by a house centipede. House centipedes thrive in an environment that is dark and damp. This can be behind appliances in your kitchen, around pipes in your bathroom, under dirty clothes piles by the washing machine, and in the basement or crawl spaces. Checking for leaks around plumbing pipes and stopping those leaks is a crucial step to keep house centipedes away. Walking the perimeter of your home to check for cracks and entry points will show you areas that need to be sealed off. It is also a good idea to modify doorways to include a draft guard to prevent house centipedes from sneaking under the crack of the door. Windows can be an entry option too since that is a place that can crack and hold moisture that will attract the centipede to come in. All of this may seem like a lot of time and effort just to keep a bug out but it is important to remember that if you are seeing centipedes, it is because you have other insects in your home as well and the centipedes are hunting them. You could also have a leak that is attracting them in as well. Proper maintenance is a good measure and is a free option you can do yourself to help control pests inside of your home.
Calling in Professionals
House centipedes are a good sign that there is more going on behind the scenes in your home with other insects. Centipedes can only survive where there are other insects to eat and if they are in your home, its because there is an abundance of insects for them to hunt and feast upon. Taking steps to secure your home from cracks and moisture can take up time and additional resources and you still may have a pest issues on your hands. Kapture Pest Control is the company to call when you need help answering questions like “Are house centipedes dangerous?” and to rid your home of house centipedes and other insects. While house centipedes are not dangerous, they do not give off peaceful vibes with their appearance and are a sign of a bigger issue. Kapture is ready to take your call and create a treatment plan just for your needs. Give us a call today and we will kick the 15-legged centipedes to the curb.
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