Centipedes are among the less commonly seen household pests, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. One of the reasons why they are there because you’re probably not familiar with what do centipede eat.
If you’ve ever spotted one of these multi-legged critters crawling across your floor, you may have been wondering what do centipede eat and whether or not you should kill it.
In this post, we’ll answer those questions and more. So keep reading to learn everything you need to know about centipedes!
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What are Centipedes?
Centipedes are long, multi-legged creatures that can be found in a variety of habitats all over the world. While most centipedes are brown or red, some species can be brightly colored. They are not to be confused with millipedes which also has many legs.
There are many species of centipedes. Depending on the species, centipedes can range in size from less than an inch to several inches long.
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Centipedes are carnivorous predators that feed on a variety of insects and other small animals. They use their long legs to move quickly and their sharp claws to kill their prey. Centipedes are relatively harmless to humans, but their bites can be painful.
Female centipedes lay their eggs during the warmer months. This means the chances of you encountering a bigger pest problem is increased during these warmer months. To learn more about what do centipede eat, read on.
Different Types of Centipedes
While there are many different types of centipedes, some of the most common include:
House Centipede
This species is common in homes and can be found throughout the United States. House centipedes are brown or yellowish-grey in color and have 15 pairs of legs with the long legs banded. It also has three dark stripes.
A full length of a house centipede can reach up to 15 centimeters. House centipedes are active hunters unlike spiders that make use of their webs to catch prey.
Giant Centipede
This species can be found in the southwestern United States. Giant centipedes are reddish-brown or orange-brown in color and can grow to be over a foot long.
Stone Centipede
This species is common in Europe and can be found in some parts of the United States. Stone centipedes are brown or black in color and have 15 pairs of legs.
Bark Centipede
Bark centipedes make no noise. They are usually found outside near trees to canvass tree bark to look for their meal.
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What Do A Centipede Eat?
House centipedes are carnivorous predators that feed on a variety of insects and other small animals. Some of the most common items on a house centipede’s menu include:
- Cockroaches
- Mice
- Spiders
- Silverfish
- Termites
- Ants
- Flies
- Moths
While most house centipedes hunt at night, some species are active during the day. When they’re not hunting for food, house centipedes often hide in dark, moist places like basements, crawl spaces, and under rocks or leaf litter. Now that you know what do a centipede eat, you now know better how to get rid of them should you decide to.
What Attract House Centipedes
While they may be a nuisance, there are a few things that attract a house centipede. One is moisture. House centipedes require high humidity to survive, so they are often found near water sources. They are also attracted to places with a lot of insects and bugs, as this is their main source of food.
If you find house centipedes in your house, it’s likely because they are seeking out these conditions. Reducing moisture and eliminating insects and bugs can help discourage house centipedes to visit.
Should You Kill House Centipedes?
While house centipedes can be creepy, they are generally harmless to humans and can actually be beneficial because they help control populations of harmful insects. If you don’t want house centipedes in your home, there are a few things you can do to deter them:
- Seal cracks and openings around the outside of your home to prevent them from getting inside.
- Reduce moisture in your home by fixing leaks, using a dehumidifier, and ventilating damp areas like bathrooms and laundry rooms.
- Remove potential food sources by keeping your home clean and free of clutter. Vacuum regularly and store food in sealed containers.
If you spot a centipede in your home, there’s no need to panic. Simply catch it in a cup and release it outside. With a little effort, you can keep these helpful predators out of your home. Perhaps the reason why they stay in your home is because it harbors what do centipede eat.
Centipede Bites
While centipede bites are not typically deadly, they can be painful. The venom in a centipede’s bite is not strong enough to kill us, but it can cause localized swelling and irritation.
In some cases, people may also experience nausea, vomiting, and dizziness after being bitten by a centipede. If you are bitten by a centipede, wash the area with soap and water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling.
If you experience any severe symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.
Do House Centipedes Pose a Threat to Humans?
Centipedes are relatively harmless to humans and pose no real threat to us. However, their bites can be painful. The venom in a centipede’s bite is not strong enough to kill us, but it can cause localized swelling and irritation.
In some cases, people may also experience nausea, vomiting, and dizziness after being bitten by a centipede. If you are bitten by a centipede, wash the area with soap and water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling.
Seek professional help if you experience any severe symptoms.
How to Get Rid of Centipedes
If you’re dealing with a centipede infestation, there are a few things you can do to get rid of them.
Get Rid of What They Eat
First, it’s important to understand what they eat. Centipedes are predators and will feed on just about anything they can catch, including other insects, spiders, and small rodents.
This means that if you have a prey population in your home, the centipedes will likely stick around. To get rid of them, you’ll need to eliminate the wide array of their food source.
By removing what they are eating such as roaches and other smaller insects, you can eliminate house centipedes in your house.
Using Pesticides
You can also use pesticides to target specific pests. Once you’ve dealt with the prey population, the house centipedes should start to disappear. Another option is to use a natural predator, such as boric acid.
This substance is poisonous to centipedes and will kill them if they come into contact with it. You can sprinkle it around your home or apply it directly to the pests. Just be careful not to use too much, as it can also be harmful to humans and pets.
With a little effort, you should be able to get rid of your centipede infestation for good.
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Use Traps
To control centipedes population, you can use sticky traps in your house for their legs. Their legs hates it. Place these where you think they likely go such as places with bodies of dead insects or near cracks and crevices where you think a body of a centipede usually goes.
Dead bodies or body of an insect is a good sign that they are feeding indoors. Basements and bathrooms are the usual homes of the house centipede.
Professional Pest Control
If your house has an infestation in your bathroom and other areas and you can’t seem to eliminate it, hire the professionals. Pest will no longer be a problem in your house. Your house will then truly be a safe place. No worrying about a bite, seeing legs of pests and more.
For pest problems such ahs house centipede, hire professional pest control. House centipedes and all the other pest will start to go away. Even those that hide in the night.
Clean Out Damp Areas of Your House
As mentioned earlier, a house centipede loves moisture. It’s not enough to know what do centipede eat. You also have to know other factors that make them thrive. They make hiding places out of damp places. It only takes one pair of house centipedes for you to suddenly be in need of pest control.
It can be hard to get rid of centipedes especially if there are other pests that attract a house centipede. Because they love damp places, you’d want to check your bathroom, basement, door and window casings, cracks and crevices as these areas tend to collect water.
They live their entire life in areas that are damp. So if you you want to kill house centipedes, other insects and other pests in your house, you can use a combination of traps, pesticides and cleaning out watery areas.
