Let's face it, house centipedes can frighten us big time -- their many legs allow them to move around quickly and unpredictably, and they always seem to show up when we least expect them. Seeing them up close, with their pincers, leaves us all in fear of getting a house centipede bite (although it's worth noting that these bites are no worse than a bee sting, so rest assured -- house centipedes are not poisonous!) However, while the temptation to kill them is high, it's recommended to hold off. These bugs have an incredible use in your home, so resist the urge to stomp on them. Read on to learn about why you should never kill a house centipede!
House Centipedes Get Rid Of Bugs
House centipedes are useful because they hunt for other bugs and critters that are commonly found in your house, such as ants, spiders, cockroaches, termites, and silverfish. House centipedes are able to slide into cracks and holes in the flooring and the walls, and this allows them to reach bugs and nests that humans aren't able to see or reach. On top of this, house centipedes have a very high metabolism, so they'll constantly be hunting for food -- this means that house centipedes will mop up hordes of critters, leaving your home clean and (relatively) bug-free. While the sight of a house centipede will urge you to kill right away, do try to hold off! It's worth trading that bug's life so that you won't also be combatting armies of ants, spiders, and other nasty bugs. Of course, there's a balance -- you want house centipedes to get rid of the bugs in your home, but you don't want to them to set up shop and completely infest your home either! We've got you covered if you're afraid that one centipede will lead to too many.
How To Get Rid Of House Centipedes
House centipedes are most comfortable in dark, damp environments. This makes places such as closets, bathrooms, and basements a nice, comfy home for these many-legged creatures. Once centipedes have taken care of any bug problems and you want them removed from your house right away, you simply have to scoop up the house centipede and place it outside. It will continue to eat bugs around your house while not bothering you inside your own walls.
Of course, if they managed to sneak in once, they'll sneak in again. As such, it's important to make it both difficult and unappealing for a house centipede to get into your home. Use bug spray or insect repellent to eliminate any leftover bugs in your house, and dry up any wet or damp areas in your home so the centipedes have no incentive to move in. To make matters even tougher for these little bugs, take the time to seal up any cracks in the wall or flooring so that they can't sneak in.
House centipedes might give you the creeps at first, but they serve a very useful purpose. Have mercy on them and they can help you greatly!