Centipedes are a creepy-looking pest that can pop up in your Katy home from time to time, although they are more often found outside in your garden or lawn. Centipede identification is usually fairly simple. They have long, flat, segmented bodies with one pair of legs coming out of each body segment.
As scary as centipedes look, they aren’t as dangerous as you might think they are. Centipedes are venomous pests, and they can bite. Though they can be very painful, centipede bites are rare, and centipedes are more of a nuisance pest than a danger. A centipede infestation in your home is more of an annoyance than a major safety concern.
Just because they aren’t dangerous doesn’t mean they aren’t a problem, though. Learn about how to control centipedes and what the professional exterminators at All-Safe Pest and Termite can do to help you keep centipedes out of your home.
Why Centipedes Come Inside
Centipedes are pests that prefer to stay outside. They favor hiding under decaying logs, rocks, woodpiles, or fallen trees, in tall grass, and other decaying organic matter. If centipedes do come inside, it is usually because there is easy access to the two things they are looking for: food and moisture. Having other pests in your home is a quick way to attract centipedes. They eat roaches, silverfish, and other common household pests. They will also be drawn in by areas of excess moisture, especially in times of dry or hot weather.
This means that the areas of your home where you are likely to find these pests are areas of high moisture and where other pests reside. These areas include:
- Cabinets under sinks
- Crawl spaces
- Basements
- Areas around drains
- In walls near pipes
These are the areas where a centipede infestation is likely to begin and the areas to monitor most for signs of these nuisance pests.
How To Prevent Centipedes
Even if centipedes aren’t dangerous and prefer to spend their time outside, you still want to do what you can to keep them out of your home, limit your risk for a rare centipede bite, and prevent a centipede infestation in your home. It can be difficult to get rid of centipedes, so preventing them is the best option.
Fortunately for Katy homeowners, there are some simple steps you can take to keep centipedes out of your home. Here are some tips to keep these pests away:
- Make sure the gutters are working properly.
- Remove any decaying organic material like fallen trees, leaves, and brush piles.
- Fix leaky pipes inside and around your home.
- Keep your lawn cut short and weeds under control.
- Seal cracks and crevices around your home to keep centipedes and other pests from coming inside.
- Eliminate moisture in your home by using a dehumidifier or air conditioner.
Keeping other pests that centipedes feed on out and moisture under control in and around your home is the best way to keep these pests away from your home.
Professional Centipede Control
If you are dealing with a centipede problem in your home, professional help from the trained technicians at All-Safe Pest and Termite can help quickly get rid of centipedes. We will thoroughly inspect your home, perform centipede identification to determine what species is causing your issue, and take steps to quickly eliminate the problem.
We can also help keep centipedes out of your home with a residential pest control plan that keeps other pests out. By keeping the pests that centipedes feed on out of your home, you will eliminate one of the main reasons that they come inside. This means that your home will not only be safe and protected from centipedes but many of the other pests that call Katy home.