If you see an insect with a long body and a large array of feed scurrying across your bathroom floor or kitchen sink, your first inclination may be too panic. While a normal reaction, you should not be too shocked or frightened after seeing a centipede. These insects are actually more common than most people think, even though they are not well understood. With this guide, you will a few important details about centipedes:
They Don't Have 100 Legs
Most people believe centipedes have 100 legs. As they scurry across surfaces, centipedes may look like they have that many legs, but they actually don't.
While surprising to learn, these pests have approximately 15 pairs of legs. On female centipedes, the last pair of legs are twice as long as their body, making them look pretty frightening.
They Love the Nightlife
Centipedes are nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. During the day, they may spend their time hiding in dark, damp places, such as your home's crawlspace, basement, or under leaves, mulch, and logs outside your home.
Most people do not see them during the day unless you have an infestation that is forcing centipedes out of their nests. In these cases, centipedes have more competition for food, so they may come out during the daylight hours to hunt.
They Sting
Other than venomous spiders and scorpions, most pests are harmless. Unfortunately, a centipede will sting you if it feels threatened.
Most arthropods have venomous bites, but centipedes are the only arthropods that have venomous claws. These claws are located in the front part of their body. They may look like legs, but they are not used for movement. These claws are used for stinging prey.
If you try and pick up a centipede, it will most likely sting you, releasing a venom that can be painful, but not life threatening. The venom may cause redness and swelling around the sting bite for a few days.
If you are allergic to bees and other insects, the sting may cause you to have a dangerous reaction. If you begin to experience chest pain, heart palpitations, tremors, nausea, or vomiting, visit your doctor immediately for treatment.
Because of this risk, you should contact a pest control company like Mr. Bug Killer Inc to manage a centipede problem.
Most pests are unappealing, but having one or more centipedes in your home can be disturbing. By understanding these pests a little more, you will learn the importance of pest prevention for your home and family's safety.
Share1 September 2017
After marrying my sweet husband ten years ago, I moved into a fixer-upper. I immediately started making a list of remodeling projects I wold need to complete before the house would be comfortable to live in. For instance, I had to rip out the old linoleum flooring in the kitchen, mud room, and bathrooms. I also had to buy a complete set of new furniture. Only a few days after moving into this house, I also discovered my need to contact a reputable pest control specialist. The house contained huge, disgusting roaches. After a local pest control technician visiting my house, my home was free of potentially health damaging roaches. On this blog, you will discover the latest trends in the pest control industry for successfully removing roaches from a home.
