What Exactly Is a House Centipede? Effective Ways to Get Rid of Them

There is an arthropod called the house centipede, a close relative of the centipede, with 15 pairs of long legs plus slender antennae, and a truly frightening appearance. It generally does not actively attack humans, but if provoked it releases a toxic substance that makes human skin extremely itchy. So what exactly is a house centipede? What is the best way to get rid of them?

1. So what exactly is a house centipede?

The house centipede's body length is generally around 15-21 cm, and its whole body is divided into 15 segments; each segment has a pair of slender legs on either side, with the last pair being the longest. From a distance it looks like a small stick covered in many spines, but on closer inspection it still makes your hair stand on end. For people with trypophobia, it may make them very uncomfortable, and in that case the only option is to stomp it dead! After being stung by a house centipede, you can wash the affected area with 3% ammonia water or a 5% to 10% sodium bicarbonate solution, or use other mosquito and insect bite remedies.

The straw-sandal sole, whose scientific name is the house centipede, is a type of hundred-legged worm and a close relative of the centipede, but compared with the centipede, it moves much faster. In addition, this insect has thousands of compound eyes gathered together into a pseudo-compound eye, but its eyesight is not as good as that of the ghost dragonfly; rather, its eyesight is not very good at all, and it mainly relies on the two antennae on its head to sense the surrounding environment. Hunting and survival both depend on these two antennae.

The house centipede feeds on various insects and can easily catch small spiders and the like. They live in rotten wood or decaying leaves, and generally come out at night to move around and forage. But in the cold winter season, this insect fears the cold and will look for human houses to shelter from the cold. It is good at climbing walls and mainly lives in dark, damp places indoors, and it always manages to give people a fright.

Surprisingly, in Japan, the house centipede is a very popular pet, because it is not very toxic to humans and is also a beneficial insect, so it can be bought in quite a few Japanese pet shops.

2. What is the best way to get rid of house centipedes?

1. First, we need to know that the environment house centipedes like is dark and damp. They are also quite good at climbing. They are found both indoors and outdoors.

2. We can spray insecticide in dark, damp places in the home, such as at the base of walls, under beds, and behind cabinets.

3. If there is a lot of clutter indoors, clear it out as much as possible; these places are often good hiding spots for them.

4. In damp corners, we can also spread some lime to reduce the dampness. At the same time, pay attention to indoor ventilation.

5. When house centipedes appear, swat them dead with a shoe or similar object as much as possible. Because they are extremely fast, spraying insecticide is unlikely to kill them.

6. If the house is in a relatively damp environment surrounded by flowers and plants, we can consider applying insect-repellent and insect-killing coatings to the exterior walls.