Natural Ways to Get Rid of Centipedes

Centipedes often hide in dark, damp places.

If you are trying to get rid of centipedes, some of the easiest and most effective methods are without the use of chemicals. Using natural ways to get rid of the pest may require some extra patience, but results in centipede extermination without the harmful potential side effects of insecticide use. Centipedes may be hard to locate since they run quickly and hide in dark places. According to the University of Minnesota Extension, the centipede's body is brownish or grayish-yellow and dark longitudinal stripes may be visible from above on the body and legs.

The Facts

Centipedes are not harmful for humans to have around, but their look may be disturbing to some people. The arthropod, related to the insects, has a long segmented body. According to the Iowa State University Department of Entomology, the centipede grows up to about "1 1/2 inches long and has 15 pairs of very long, almost thread-like, slender legs." You can find the pest indoors lurking in basements, closets or bathrooms. Outside, you may see the centipede underneath or around the parameter of the house. The centipede eats small insects, spiders and insect larvae.

Indoors

Get rid of centipedes you see visually by using a broom, vacuum or paper towel to exterminate. Dry and clean up damp locations in your house or business since centipedes thrive in that type of environment. Remove items where centipedes may hide such as stored boxes. Set up a dehumidifier in damp areas. To find centipedes hidden in your home, look in areas such as crawl spaces and dark basement corners.

Outdoors

Since the centipede is not a harmful pest, the Iowa State University Department of Entomology recommends leaving the arthropod alone if you find it outside. However, if you'd like to reduce the number of centipedes near the outside of your home, the University of Minnesota recommends removing leaf litter and decaying vegetation from around the outside of the house and allowing soil to become dry. This will discourage the centipede as well as sowbugs and millipedes.

Prevention

Seal foundation cracks and other potential entry points around the outside perimeter of the house before the cooler fall weather. Inside your house, setup a dehumidifier in damp areas and seal baseboards and small cracks. Reducing the amount of available moisture, both inside and outside, is the best natural way to prevent centipedes. According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, the centipede requires a moist habitat.

References

• University of Minnesota; Department of Entomology: Sowbugs, Millipedes, and Centipedes in the Home: Jeffrey Hahn and Mark E. Ascerno; 2011
• Iowa State University Department of Entomology: House Centipede
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension; Managing Centipedes & Millipedes; Barb Ogg, Ph.D.; January, 2008