Centipedes eat cockroaches.
Centipedes are often unwelcome guests in a person’s home. The species most likely to be found indoors is Scutigera coleoptrata, and this house centipede can complete its entire life cycle indoors, including breeding. Some people describe these insects as beneficial, as they eat insects such as spiders, cockroaches, termites, and flies. However, most people are scared to look at them and want to find the most convenient way to get rid of them.
Sprinkling baking soda before vacuuming carpets can help keep centipedes away.
To get rid of centipedes, remove all debris from your home. If you have piles of wood or leaves near your home, move them farther away to eliminate cool, protective places that centipedes may choose to hide in during the day. Also, it is advisable to move garbage cans away from the sides of your house. Then seal up any cracks or holes that these critters might crawl through, making it harder for them to get into your home in the first place.
During the day, centipedes hide in the rubble surrounding the house.
Once you’ve eliminated the hiding places outside your home, it’s time to go inside and get rid of the centipedes that have already invaded. Centipedes usually settle in bathrooms and basements, as they need a moist place to live. Put dehumidifiers in these damp places to discourage these pests. It’s also helpful to turn on the air conditioning and sprinkle baking soda when vacuuming carpets, which can help remove excess moisture from the air. If the environment is dry enough, the centipedes will die without any additional effort on the part of the owner.
Insecticide can be helpful in eradicating centipedes.
Insecticide sprays that contain permethrin are useful when you want to get rid of centipedes. In fact, most insecticide sprays, including those labeled for ants and roaches, can do the job. However, if you see one when disarmed with bug spray, you can simply squish it under your shoe, hit it with a heavy book, or clamp it in a jar and leave it outside.
Most insecticide sprays can get rid of centipedes.
For those concerned about spraying insecticides, there are less toxic ways to get rid of centipedes. Sticky traps commonly used for ants and cockroaches work just as well as they do for centipedes. Place them around walls, doors and windows. The centipedes will get caught in the traps and starve to death. This type of trap can provide an added benefit, allowing you to catch other insects and see what prey makes your home so attractive to these pests.
Boric acid and diatomaceous earth are natural pesticides that can be used to get rid of centipedes. These powdered insecticides can be sprayed in the corners and around the edges of the floor, as well as near cracks that you may have difficulty sealing. When a centipede crawls over any of these powdery substances, tiny scratches form on its body, causing it to dehydrate and die. Be aware, however, that although these substances are considered non-toxic, they can cause irritation to mucous membranes and the lungs. Therefore, it is better to wear a protective mask during the application and wash your hands when you are done.