Have you ever gone to take your morning shower and realized that you’re not alone? As you groggily glance down, you notice what looks like a line with many flowing hairs moving very quickly across the shower or tub bottom.
Don’t panic, it’s just a House Centipede and it’s probably just as eager to climb the walls away from you. House centipedes are a fairly common pest in the Greater Sacramento area, particularly during summer months when the warm days and nights are perfect for them.
House centipedes can be found anywhere in the home: the kitchen, bathrooms, drains, basements, garages, attics, and well, you get the picture. Protected, damp areas are typically where house centipedes will choose to nest. House centipedes readily reproduce in warm, humid conditions. During the spring and summer months, the females lay eggs in clutches of 60-150 eggs. Combine this with the several year life expectancy of female house centipedes and there is the potential for several hundred new centipedes.
House Centipede Identification
- Long, flattened bodies, typically 1-1 ½” long
- Slender, thread-like legs (each body segment has a pair for a total of 30 legs in adults)
- The last two legs of females are noticeably longer (2X the normal length)
- Yellowish-brown coloring with dark stripes
- Large, well-developed eyes
They’re not an aggressive arthropod. Though their bite can cause temporary, localized pain (and rarely worse), they will not bite a person unless they’re provoked. House centipedes can also be helpful around the house. Their prey typically consists of other common household pests that you’ll find in the Greater Sacramento area, such as cockroaches, flies, moths, small spiders, and silverfish. House centipedes are nocturnal hunters and they are fast! The chances are if you see one there are many more that you’ve probably missed.
Discourage their residence around your home by doing following:
- Get rid of their food source—contact Pro Active Pest Control to take care of your pest control needs!
- Close up crevices and cracks with sealants
- Screen drains and vents
Don’t rely on house centipedes to control your pest problems.
Sadly, they simply don’t eat enough to make a big difference. You’re better off contacting professionals, like Pro Active Pest Control to handle all of your pest problems, including house centipedes. Regular treatments help to control pest problems and prevent early morning voyeurs.