Edit: kill it with fire

  • fubo@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    1 year ago

    House centipedes are predators. They’re only there because there’s food for them to eat — prey animals that they are hunting.

    Now, what are their prey animals? Here’s some critters that house centipedes eat:

    • Cockroaches
    • Termites
    • Bedbugs
    • Silverfish
    • Ants

    You have house centipedes because you have these.

    The centipedes are eating them.

    Now, what was it you wanted to get rid of?

    • Cows Look Like Maps@sh.itjust.worksOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Thank you for your explanation! I feel a tiny bit better about them now despite constantly being startled by a massive one in the sink, etc.

      The only bug I’ve seen is small spiders and the occasional but very rare silverfish or pill bug. We certainly don’t have cockroaches or bed bugs. Is it feasible to get rid of their food source or is that a lost cause?

    • Ciari@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Oh god not silverfish, I had a few in my bathroom a while back and I spent like three weeks spraying all the nooks and crannies with lavender-scented spray every day to make sure no more of them came back. I like bugs but those are some creepy little fuckers. And they eat your books!

    • Nailbar
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Nuke it from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.

  • Remy Rose@lemmy.one
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    1 year ago

    You really shouldn’t do that. They’re harmless to people, and if you’ve got many of them then that means you’ve got worse pest problems to worry about. Pests that the house centipedes are helping to keep under control.

  • heartlessevil@lemmy.one
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    You could move from a house to a cabin, trailer, or cave. Then you only have to deal with cabin centipedes, trailer centipedes and cave centipedes. But the house centipedes will be a thing of the past.

  • torknorggren
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    If you mean scutigera, get rid of their food sources. They particularly like roaches. As frightening as they are, the scutigera are our friends.

  • badbrainstorm@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    1 year ago

    Fire? Probably not the preferred method. Diatomaceous earth is good for almost all bugs while also being very safe for households, especially with pets or children as its only dangerous to humans if a very large amount is ingested