Centipede control in Kittitas County might not be a significant focus of your pest control plan. After all, hot and arid environments like Texas are the areas of the country that are famous for centipedes, so many people might not think we have to deal with them here in the Pacific Northwest. We might not have giant redheaded centipedes here, but we do have a few species you'll need to keep out of your home.
The Life Cycle Of Common Centipedes
There are a few species of centipedes in Kittitas County that you can expect to encounter in your home. These include the bark centipede and the house centipede. Regardless of species, all centipedes have a similar life cycle.
Of course, the centipede life cycle begins with the egg and larval stages. Centipedes are born as tiny versions of the adults they will become. They do not have a larval stage in the sense that they are born as grubs or caterpillars and then pupate. Instead, juvenile centipedes molt many times and gradually increase the number of body segments and legs they have until they reach adulthood.
Adult centipedes are predators that use their venomous forelegs to subdue prey by paralyzing or killing it. They then secrete enzymes that partially digest the prey before they consume it, much like spiders do. The fact that centipedes eat many common pest insects means that having a few of them wandering around outside your house isn't such a bad thing. The problem arises when they decide to move in with you.
Why Centipedes Can Be A Menace To Have Around Your Home
As we said, having a couple of centipedes feeding on pest insects around your house isn't such a terrible thing. You probably won't even notice them. However, centipede infestations are an entirely different matter. If centipedes decide to set up a breeding population inside your home, they could number in the hundreds or even thousands in no time. At this point, they become the pests.
Centipedes in your house won't do property damage, and they don't spread disease, but they can still cause some problems. First off, their venomous bite is quite painful. You typically don't have to worry about needing medical attention if you're not allergic, but being bitten by a centipede can be every bit as unpleasant as a bee sting. And having a house full of centipedes hiding in your shoes, your kitchen drawers, or even your bed gives you plenty of opportunities to be bitten.
The long and leggy look of centipedes also freaks many people out. Having centipedes creeping around your home can give you anxiety about where you're putting your feet or your hands or where you're laying your head. That's why centipede control is still important.
Four Eco-Friendly Centipede Prevention Tips For Your Home
Centipede control is a lot harder once a centipede infestation gets going. When you get a breeding population of centipedes inside your home, there isn't a lot you can do on your own to eliminate them. That being said, there's plenty you can do to make your home a more hostile place for centipedes. Take measures like:
- Seal cracks and holes in your home's exterior to block centipede entry.
- Take care of moisture problems like excessive condensation or poor drainage that could attract centipedes.
- Remove clutter both inside and outside your home, as centipedes love to use debris for hiding places.
- Eliminate centipede prey.
The last item on this list is the most important. Centipedes are not omnivores nor are they scavengers. They prefer to eat live prey, and this means if you don't have any in your home, centipedes will not be motivated to live or breed there because there is not enough food to support their numbers. So get rid of infestations like cockroaches and silverfish to deprive centipedes of food.
How To Get Rid Of A Centipede Problem In Your Home
Unfortunately, if you already have a breeding population of centipedes in your home, you will likely need centipede control services. There are not a lot of centipede control products on the open market that are effective against entire breeding populations. Things like glue boards might capture a few adult centipedes, but they will do nothing about the eggs or the hundreds of hatchlings crawling around your home.
That's where we come in. Here at Prosite, we have the tools and techniques to eliminate centipede populations in their entirety. So don't spend another day living with these leggy squatters. Click or call today.