What To Do About Centipedes In Your Charlotte Home

When you think of centipedes, you probably imagine a rather alien-looking creature that has hundreds of legs. While it’s true that centipedes do have many legs, they don’t have quite that many. They can have from 15-150 pairs, but, make no mistake, this still makes them unsettling to look at. You can identify centipedes by their worm-like appearance, and you can tell them apart from millipedes because they have pincers coming from their mouths.

The other question people have about centipedes in Charlotte, North Carolina is whether or not they are dangerous. Unlike some other pests in the area, centipedes are considered a nuisance pest.

They are actually carnivorous and also venomous, using their venom to incapacitate their prey. However, they can’t harm people or pets. On rare occasions, they might bite, but even if they do, their venom can’t harm you.

However, just because centipedes aren’t dangerous, it doesn’t mean you want them around your house. In this guide, you’ll learn how you can prevent and control these pests.

Why Do Centipedes Come Inside?

For the most part, centipedes prefer to live outside. When outdoors, they are usually found hiding under things like leaves, bark, or even stones. While they aren’t as common to find inside your home as pests like ants or rodents, this doesn’t mean they don’t ever get inside. They will make their way into a building to look for a humid environment in which to live.

Seeing as how they need moisture to thrive, centipedes are more likely to be found in homes that have excess humidity. When centipedes get inside, they are usually found in basements, closets, and crawl spaces as these areas tend to be dark and damp.

They might also come indoors to look for prey, so having infestations of smaller insects can also attract them.

Six Centipede Prevention Tips

Now that you know the two main reasons why centipedes could be attracted to your property, you can take steps to prevent them. The overall best way to keep centipedes out is to reduce or eliminate humidity and other pest problems.

Here are six specific steps to prevent centipedes:

1. Address moisture issues by fixing leaky pipes and faucets. You can also use dehumidifiers in rooms that have a lot of moisture.
2. Keep your yard clear of debris such as leaves and grass clippings as centipedes hide in these places.
3. Keep centipedes and their pest prey out by repairing or replacing broken screens.
4. You can also keep them out by installing door sweeps and weather stripping.
5. Remove any moisture-damaged wood from around your home and your yard.
6. Store firewood in a dry area at least 30 feet from the exterior of your building. Also, make sure the wood is stacked nearly and organized.

Advice And Assistance With Centipede Problems

If you’ve noticed centipedes around your home, the best way to remove them and keep them out is to get help from the experts at Aruza Pest Control. Our experts have the experience to handle centipedes both in and around the building.

We can also offer ongoing residential pest control plans in Charlotte that will keep centipedes and other insects from ever coming inside. To learn more about our reliable, affordable pest prevention and control, give us a call today at (855) 976-5660.

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