Many people react with alarm or disgust when a house centipede scurries across the floor. Their appearance, with numerous legs and rapid movement, can be unsettling. However, understanding these creatures reveals why eliminating them might not be beneficial for your home.
Understanding the House Centipede
The house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata, is a distinctive arthropod with an elongated, flattened body, typically ranging from 1 to 1.5 inches in length. Its body is usually grayish-yellow with three dark stripes, and it possesses 15 pairs of long, slender legs that lengthen towards the rear. These legs, along with long antennae, enable swift, darting movements. House centipedes are nocturnal, preferring to hide in dark, damp, and cool places during the day, such as basements, bathrooms, closets, and crawl spaces. They do not consume wood or fabrics, nor do they build nests, distinguishing them from many common household pests.
Their Role as Natural Pest Controllers
House centipedes are natural predators, hunting and consuming common household pests. Their diet includes silverfish, carpet beetle larvae, cockroaches, spiders, bed bugs, and termites. They use their speed and modified front legs, called forcipules, to grasp and inject venom into their prey. The presence of house centipedes often indicates an existing pest problem within the home, as they are drawn to areas with abundant food sources. By allowing them to remain, they act as a natural biological control, helping manage populations of problematic pests; removing these centipedes might inadvertently allow other unwanted pests to proliferate without their natural predator.
Are They a Threat to Humans?
Despite their intimidating appearance, house centipedes pose little threat to humans. Bites are extremely rare, occurring only if the centipede feels threatened, trapped, or handled. The sensation of a house centipede bite is usually mild, often compared to a bee sting, and results in localized pain, slight swelling, and redness. These creatures do not transmit diseases to humans. House centipedes are shy and flee quickly when disturbed, preferring to retreat rather than confront.
Coexisting with House Centipedes
To reduce house centipede numbers without killing them, focus on environmental controls. Reducing moisture levels in your home is important, as centipedes thrive in damp conditions; this involves fixing leaky pipes, using dehumidifiers in basements and bathrooms, and ensuring proper ventilation. Sealing cracks and gaps in foundations, around windows, and doors can prevent them and their prey from entering your living spaces. Decluttering areas like basements, crawl spaces, and storage areas removes potential hiding spots. Addressing these conditions that attract centipedes and their food sources will naturally decrease their numbers or encourage them to move elsewhere.