Centipedes are one of the most terrifying looking insects that you can find. They are long, with dozens of creepy legs, and they skitter and crawl around the place. Oftentimes, we want them out of our homes fast. However, they may not be as bad as they seem.
Sure, they are creepy, repellent and some may even say disgusting, but they are actually useful to have around the home. Centipedes hunt and feed on nastier pests including silverfish, spiders, termites and cockroaches. Of course, one centipede will not take out a whole cockroach colony, but you might at least take the presence of this insect in the home as a sign of wider issues.
So how exactly are centipedes able to feed on all these other pests? Well, the adult house centipede has about 30 legs, which allows it to move very quickly, and it can use these legs for a variety of activities. For example, of these 30 legs, the two in front also work as venomous fangs and they are used to restrain prey. Each leg is extremely flexible, and this allows the centipede to “lasso” another insect while it dies after it has been injected with venom. Imagine the dexterity it takes to maneuver 30 legs effectively!
Centipedes also have a very fast metabolism, and while this metabolism does not allow the centipede to go through the hundreds of cockroaches that may be in a colony, it is enough to take care of pests that can be found in the home in smaller numbers. This means that in certain situations, having a centipede around your home can be beneficial.
However, let’s not get too optimistic here. Even if you have a few centipedes around the home, you are not going to be protected against most pests effectively. Instead of relying on centipedes to do the extermination job, use their presence as an indication that there may be bigger pest issues inside the home. If you know what signs to look for, you can start to check for other infestations and see what problems you have to deal with. Or, you can simply call a pro and he will be able to take care of both the centipedes and the other pests in the home. Contact us today if you notice a centipede or if you suspect that you may have any other pest infestation in your house.
