The question of how to get rid of centipedes arises among those on whose territory they have settled. Centipedes are rare guests in houses and apartments; they do not cause material damage and do not threaten human health, while they destroy small pests, cleaning the area. But despite their relative safety and harmlessness, their appearance causes fear and desire to get rid of such neighbors as quickly as possible.
Centipedes are beneficial insects that destroy small pests that have settled in the house (cockroaches, flies, etc.). However, they frighten people with their appearance, which makes it necessary to look for methods of expelling them.
To combat centipedes, it is important to find out where they came from and where they live, as well as to create unfavorable conditions for their existence. Chemical preparations and folk remedies, the use of which is described in detail in the article, will help in exterminating the creatures.
Causes and dangers of centipedes appearing in homes
Centipedes are insects of the tracheal arthropod order. Their distinctive feature is a large number of long legs located along the body. The number of pairs of legs varies depending on the age of the insect, and their maximum number is 20 pairs.
There are many varieties of centipedes known, but the ones found most commonly in homes are common flycatchers. Insects have a long and thin body, divided into segments, and their color varies from gray-yellow to brown.
Less commonly, scolopendras settle in houses, which are similar in appearance to flycatchers, but have a darker color and short legs. The pest's bite is quite painful and leaves a mark similar to a burn.
Flycatchers are nocturnal insects that are afraid of light and do not come out during the daytime. At night they are very active and move quickly in search of food. At the same time, they can catch several insects at a time, using all their paws.
Centipedes live in dark and damp corners, hidden from people and light. Their usual habitat is fallen leaves, tunnels and stumps, but when the average daily temperature drops, centipedes move into residential buildings. In an apartment, they can live in the toilet, bathroom, or in the cracks between the tiles. In private homes they live in the basement or attic.
Pests are attracted to the house by warmth, dampness, darkness, and an abundance of food and water. Centipedes choose small insects as food - flies, cockroaches, mosquitoes, ants.
The main reasons for the appearance of centipedes in the house are high humidity, constant dampness and the presence of food in the form of small insects.
Centipedes in the house: how to get rid of them
If you have centipedes in your house, the easiest way to get rid of them, but at the same time the least effective, is to use folk remedies and methods.
- You can try to kill a centipede that catches your eye with some object, however, do not be surprised if you are not able to crush the insect the first time. Many species of centipedes are able to withstand loads of this kind without harm.
- If centipedes live in the bathroom, clean it as often as possible with strong household products for cleaning and disinfecting tiles, tiles and fixtures. The components they contain can be destructive to pests, even if they are covered with protective chitinous covers.
- Millipedes are repelled by the smell of vinegar, which can be used to clean the floors in the house. The solution is prepared at the rate of 50 grams of 9% table or apple cider vinegar per 5 liters of water.
The main disadvantage of these methods is that they do not solve the problem completely, only helping to reduce the number of insects and the frequency of encounters with them in the apartment, or to scare them away.
Creating unfavorable conditions for the existence of pests
In order to independently get rid of centipedes in an apartment, it is necessary to create conditions unsuitable for their existence. First of all, deprive them of food - destroy the insects on which they feed, and the flycatchers themselves will leave the home.
Carry out repairs - seal the cracks through which pests enter, repair pipes and sewers. Get rid of excessive dampness: check the ventilation system, install dehumidifiers and regularly ventilate the room. Centipedes are moisture-loving insects and, in the absence of sufficient humidity, will leave the house in search of more comfortable conditions.
To expel flycatchers, get rid of high humidity in your apartment or house. To this end, check the ventilation, regularly ventilate the room or install a dehumidifier
Destruction of insects by chemical means
Chemicals in the form of aerosols or sprays will help get rid of centipedes in a private home. Before using the selected product, carry out the following preparations:
- carefully read the instructions and rules for using the drug;
- take the recommended safety measures - wear gloves, a protective suit, a respirator;
- make sure that there are no children or pets in the room during processing;
- hide all food supplies and take indoor plants to another room;
- After using the drug, close the room and leave it for several hours, and then ventilate the apartment well and carry out wet cleaning.
Centipedes are insect predators that feed on other pests, so poison in the form of bait may be useless and ineffective.
Popular means of combating centipedes are presented in the table:
| Name | Mode of application | Features of use |
| Aquafumigator "Raptor" | Install the device indoors and plug it into the network. As the water and toxic substance evaporate, the room is enveloped in steam that kills insects | The product is effective in the fight against centipedes, cockroaches, flies and other pests. Remove people and pets from the room before using the device. |
| Aerosol Henkel Combat | Spray the aerosol into cracks, under baseboards, between pipes and other potentially dangerous areas | The product has a pungent odor, so you should only work with it wearing a respirator. |
| Suspension "Lambda Zone" | Treat the areas where insects have been spotted with your chosen product. | The drug is effective against insects, while being safe for people and animals |
| Gel GLOBOL | Dissolve the drug in water according to the instructions and pour into a container with a spray bottle. Spray the solution on baseboards, cracks, pipes and other places where pests accumulate. | The product does not have a sharp or unpleasant odor |
| Aerosol Raid | Spray the product in pest habitats | Safe for home residents, no pungent odor |
| Aerosol “Dichlofos Heo” | The effect lasts for a month | |
| Con | Prepare the solution according to the instructions and spray it on the areas where the centipedes were marked. | When working with the drug, use gloves, a mask or a respirator. |
Folk remedies
In addition to chemicals, you can use folk remedies to get rid of annoying insects forever. Many people who live in private houses or apartments have pets or small children. For this reason, baiting centipedes with chemicals poses a certain danger to their health.
You can get rid of annoying insects using:
- boric acid;
- red hot pepper;
- diatom powder;
- specially made traps;
- by drying the room;
- sealing plumbing.
Boric acid allows you to quickly and effectively deal with many types of insects at home. As for centipedes, it also has an active effect on them. But the product can only cope with centipedes in the places where they live or where they come from. If they occur in ventilation or drains in these places, it is necessary to pour poison so that the insect crawls through it. It will be effective to treat the maximum area of an apartment or house with boric acid. For an adult, child or animal, the product does not pose any danger.
Centipedes prefer a moist habitat, so it is very difficult to find insects indoors with a dry climate. If these pests still appear in your house or apartment, then you need to try to reduce the humidity as much as possible.
It's easy to do:
First of all, you need to carefully check all plumbing fixtures. Find out if there are any slightest leaks, stagnation or serious contamination. If any are found, then it is necessary to carry out certain repair work. After this, you should make sure that the existing taps and pipes in the room are no longer leaking water. Ventilate the room as often as possible. This is especially true for the bathroom. It is recommended to install a hood here and leave the door open as long as possible to allow air circulation. Carefully inspect the home and make sure that there is not the slightest place where mold could accumulate
Particular attention should be paid to the floor and any cracks in the walls. Mold attracts flycatchers into living spaces. Purchase special preparations that can artificially dry the air in the room.
Often people who are faced with the appearance of centipedes in the house recommend using all kinds of traps. This method is not the most common and effective. Sticky tapes of this format can only stop the insect for a while and deprive it of several pairs of legs, which is not fatal for centipedes. The whole point is that the legs will grow back, and the insect will continue to reproduce.
You can get rid of flycatchers using red pepper. It must be used in powder form. The substance crumbles in the places where the insect appears. In order to poison a centipede with hot pepper, the latter must at least run over it, and better if it eats it.
How to get rid of centipedes using traditional methods
Folk remedies will help get rid of several individuals in the apartment. Despite the simplicity and availability of available methods, when using them, exercise caution and safety measures. Improper behavior with household poisonous compounds can lead to intoxication.
Cayenne pepper will help remove flycatchers, the aroma of which is not tolerated by pests. Sprinkle the powdered product where insects appear and they will soon leave the house
Boric acid is used to control pests. Sprinkle it under baseboards, in bathrooms behind pipes, and in other centipede habitats. The product is effective in combating many insects, while being safe for people and animals.
Diatomaceous earth powder will help remove pests. This is a safe, non-toxic product with no pungent odor. To kill pests, simply sprinkle the powder in their habitats and they will soon leave your home.
Remedies for getting rid of centipedes
When there is a large infestation of insects, there is no time for traps or similar methods. It is necessary to use stronger means. Keep in mind that the first stage is the elimination of their habitat. If it doesn’t help, then use toxic substances.
Chemical
Food poison does not work well against centipedes. The reason is that they are predators. Therefore, for a long time they may not pay attention to the bait left behind. The best way to eliminate centipedes is to use an insecticide in the form of a spray or aerosol. The product must be poured into possible habitats of the insect - bathroom, toilet, baseboards, tiles. Remember safety precautions and apply the product while wearing rubber gloves and a respirator. After using the product, you must leave the house for several hours.
Examples of tools that can help you:
- Aerosol “Clean House”.
- Aerosol "Raptor".
- Aerosol "Combat".
- Aerosol "Raid".
- Emulsions "Medilis".
The presence of a large number of centipedes in the apartment is an indicator of a colony of cockroaches or ants. To overcome centipedes, it will be necessary to remove the pests, otherwise after a while the insects will return in the same numbers. Therefore, complex products that kill both pests and centipedes are also effective.
Folk
If the number of insects is not particularly large, then you can use folk remedies. Keep in mind that despite the fact that the remedy is a folk remedy, its use or careless handling threatens the same poisoning as previous remedies.
Boric acid works well against most parasites and pests. Centipedes are also among the insects that are poisoned by this product. To combat arthropods there is no need to make baits. It is enough to sprinkle boric acid along the cracks of the tiles, holes in the sewer and under the bathtub. But if you know about the existence of food, such as cockroaches, then it is better to make bait with boiled yolk and boric acid. With the disappearance of cockroaches, centipedes will also disappear.
Using cayenne pepper in an unusual way can also help. Dry, then grind into powder and treat areas similar to the use of boric acid. They cannot stand the smell and taste of spicy foods, so they will soon leave your home.
Preventing pests in the home
To prevent the appearance of centipedes in an apartment or private house, take the following preventive measures:
- destroy insects that are food for centipedes - cockroaches, flies, ants;
- seal the cracks through which pests can enter the house, and install mosquito nets on the windows;
- dry the room, adjust the ventilation system, get rid of sources of high humidity. If necessary, purchase and install dehumidifiers;
- regularly carry out general cleaning and ventilate the room;
- check the condition of attics and basements in private homes.
To avoid the appearance of centipedes, create the most unfavorable conditions for them in the house - destroy insects, regularly clean and maintain optimal humidity
You can fight centipedes yourself by creating unfavorable conditions for their existence or using chemicals. To avoid having to deal with pests in your home again, follow preventive measures, maintain cleanliness and an optimal level of humidity in the room.
Centipede in the apartment
1. When you find a centipede under the bathtub, remember that this may be the only obstacle standing between you and a whole horde of other nasty creatures
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2. House centipede or common flycatcher, which has 30 legs
, slightly shorter than their relatives. It's not very nice to look at, but it is one of the best defenses against other uninvited house guests.
3. House centipedes are considered the “good guys” of arthropods because their feeding habits benefit humans. They feed on a variety of insects, including cockroaches, flies, moths, crickets, silverfish, earwigs and small spiders.
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4. Silverfish usually live in the same places where there are common flycatchers. They prefer cool, damp environments, making the bathroom their favorite place.
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If you see a house centipede crawling around your home and don't notice any other insects, especially silverfish, you can thank your own creepy crawly exterminator for it.
