What Massachusetts Property Owners Should Know About Centipede Dangers

October 7, 2020

In: Occasional Invaders

What is your preferred method for dealing with centipedes around your Massachusetts home? Do you squish them with your bare hand, or look for something around to catch or crush them with? Running and grabbing a piece of toilet paper is an option, but there is always the risk that when you get back they will be gone, and the only thing worse than seeing a centipede inside your home, is not seeing one but knowing it’s around. To help you better understand centipedes and the dangers they pose we will be breaking things down today. Here is everything you need to know about Massachusetts centipedes.

A Bit About Centipedes

Centipedes are nocturnal invertebrates known for invading homes all around the world. Looking at their name, one might assume that centipedes always have 100 legs. In truth, these pests have anywhere from 15 to 177 pairs of legs. This number entirely depends on the age of the centipede. An average centipede has a life span of 4 to 5 years, however, ones that invade homes often don’t last that long. Besides having a large number of bent legs, centipedes are also identifiable by their yellowish to dark brown striped bodies.
 
Centipedes do not have a preference for where they live unless the weather outside is unfavorable to their health. The one thing centipedes need more than anything is a steady source of food. Centipedes primarily feed on other invertebrates such as spiders, flies, cockroaches, etc. If your home is home to other pests, centipedes will be more likely to invade.
 
Outdoors centipedes do their best to stay moist. Common places centipedes hide during the day include around rotting logs, under stones, behind loose bark, inside trash, or beneath piles of leaves and grass. Inside homes, centipedes will stick around humid and secluded areas such as basements and crawl spaces.

How Dangerous Are Centipedes

Centipedes are extremely dangerous to other insects but harmless to humans and larger animals. Although capable of stinging, centipedes rarely do so to humans. Even if you are stung by a centipede, the pain will be no worse than that of a bee sting. If you are allergic to insect venom, be more cautious around centipedes as their stings may cause an allergic reaction.
 
With everything, keep in mind that centipedes are more scared of you than you are of them. They are not looking to attack you, they are more worried that you are going to hurt them.

Prevention Tips For Keeping Out Centipedes

To keep centipedes from invading there are two things you should do; reduce attractants, and seal off potential entry points. Here are some practical tips for how to do these two things around your Massachusetts property.

• Search your home’s exterior for cracks or gaps. Seal openings you find using a caulking gun.

• Repair or replace damaged weather stripping, door sweeps, and screens.

• Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible.

• Install fine metal screens over exterior vents leading out of your home.

• Fix leaky pipes and fixtures in and around your home.

• Use a dehumidifier to keep moisture down around basements and crawl spaces.

• Keep your lawn well maintained and bushes and tree branches trimmed away from your home’s exterior.

• Clean indoors regularly and pack leftover foods inside airtight containers.

The Best Solution For Centipedes

At the end of the day preventing centipedes on your own is a huge hassle and is difficult to do properly. For a more reliable answer to keeping centipedes out of your home, trust the professionals here at American Pest Solutions. Our team has what your home needs to stay pest-free year-round.
 
Reach out to us today to find a pest control plan that fits your budget and meets your individual needs.