How To Get Rid Of Problematic Centipedes On Your Katy Property
Texas is full of pests of all kinds, from large wild mammals to tiny biting bugs. But the pests we fear most aren’t large or intimidating, nor are they particularly deadly. Instead, these creatures walk a fine line between nuisance animals and dangerous insects.
Of all the pest species we encounter around the Katy area, few are as unsettling as the humble house centipede. These insects are notable for their dozens of legs, oblong bodies, and large antennae and pinchers.
Because these pests are so common in and around the Katy area, they are relatively easy to identify. Check out this list of centipede characteristics below:
Centipedes don’t have exactly 100 legs. Instead, these pests can have anything between 70 to 300 legs, depending on size, shape, and species.
Most centipedes measure about 1 inch long on average.
Color patterns of grey, brown, tan, and yellow are all common for house centipedes.
Centipedes cannot sting but will bite on occasion if threatened.
There are several thousand species of centipede found worldwide. Fortunately, only a few dozen are present within the central United States. Knowing exactly how to keep these pests out can be frustrating, especially when struggling against large numbers inside the home. If you suspect that centipedes are beginning to infest your Katy household, this article is for you.
In this blog, we will take a closer look at the true nature of centipede activity and evaluate their behaviors, infestation habits, and prevention steps. Additionally, we will detail the Modern Pest Control centipede management program and how you can get a customized plan of your own.
Understanding The Mind Of A Centipede
As we described earlier, centipedes are a type of venomous insect that is perfectly capable of biting both people and pets. These animals spend their days tracking down smaller insects like ants, beetles, or smaller centipedes as aggressive hunters. Entirely carnivorous, centipedes use their powerful, modified pincers to grab and hold prey, injecting them with a venom that will quickly lead to their demise.
The vast majority of centipedes live in the wild areas of the lawn and garden. Preferring environments with more than 80% humidity, you can likely find these tiny creatures under rocks, in tall grasses, in garden soil, or underneath rotting leaves or weeds. Centipedes will follow their prey wherever they roam and leave their eggs deposited in moist, warm areas for eventual hatching. Once the eggs hatch and mature, new centipedes will be ready to begin breeding within one to three years. Interestingly, centipedes are considered some of the longest-lived household insects, with lifespans up to six years at maximum length.
Although centipedes are deadly warmongers in the insect world, they are little more than obnoxious biters to non-allergic adults. Many of those who have experienced a centipede bite describe it as a slightly worse bee sting. These bites usually heal within a few days and rarely require further treatment.
However, allergic individuals take heed: a centipede's bite could lead to an anaphylactic reaction requiring medical attention. Serious bites may lead to swelling, difficulty breathing, and even death. If you believe a centipede has bitten you, please seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
Why Centipedes Infest Katy Homes And Businesses
Aggressive and food-driven, centipedes prefer to remain outdoors while hunting for food. However, under certain circumstances, they can still find themselves struggling to escape from a home or business. So why or how did centipedes infest your Katy property? Answer: opportunity!
Because centipedes are such nomadic creatures, they wander to and fro with their ‘herd’ of prey creatures. If these bugs somehow manage to get into your Katy property, you can bet that centipedes will be sure to follow.
Entering through cracks, gaps, or crevices around the house, centipedes will hunt down your secondary infestation to eat. However, it will be much more difficult for them to find a way out, and they may become trapped in the building for several months. As they feed on the secondary infestation in question, there’s a good possibility that they will mate, lay eggs, and rear a second generation without you ever knowing it. Within a few months or less, you may be struggling with a full-blown centipede infestation in the house.
Here are some other reasons why centipedes might want to infest your Katy home or business:
Access to water, humidity, or additional sources of moisture
Large amounts of heat raises their internal body temperature
Lots of soft-bodied insects to feed on, including spiders and slugs
To prevent an infestation, the recommendation is to start using prevention tips as soon as possible.
Centipede Prevention Tips For Katy Homeowners
Insects such as centipedes can infiltrate the home without anyone ever noticing – including you. Because of their flat bodies, small forms, and quick movement speed, it can be difficult to catch or control their encroachment regularly. For this reason, preventing centipedes from getting into your Katy home is the best way to mitigate potential infestations. This may sound easy at first glance, but in reality, it can be tricky.
Below is a list of ways to prevent your home from garnering a centipede infestation. Bear in mind that if you already have infestation present in the house, you will need to get in touch with a professional pest control provider as soon as possible. Please contact Modern Pest Control for more information.
If your home has any moisture issues in and around the property, it would be essential to eliminate these extraneous factors as soon as possible. Start by removing unnecessary moisture outside the home. Drain birdbaths, fill in potholes or dips and otherwise mitigate the standing water around the sides of the house.
Yard detritus such as leaves, mulch, and rotting wood are significant attractant factors for centipede invasions. Rake, burn, or bag leaves regularly to prevent buildup. Eliminate mulch to replace the beds with peat stone, river rock, or gravel. Finally, stack firewood cords at least 25 feet away from the sides of the home and eliminate rotten wood as soon as possible.
Inside the house, do what you can to eliminate excess air humidity. Install a dehumidifier to get rid of chronic moisture or place desiccant bags in strategic locations. Be sure to investigate the house for any signs or symptoms of mold, which may indicate further moisture issues. Drains and pipes that are clogged or leaking should be repaired by a specialist as soon as possible.
Consider having your house searched for a secondary pest infestation. Because many species of centipede rely on having a continuous source of food, there is good reason to believe that an additional pest could be living near your Katy home. Keep on the lookout for general signs of pest activity, notably droppings, exoskeletons, strange scents, or physical insects.
One of the best ways to keep centipedes out of the house is to eliminate their potential entry points. Caulk and seal all cracks and gaps near the sides of windows, doors, walls, and foundations. If possible, consider taking things a step further with expanding foam and waterproof sealants, both of which last through even the roughest weather.
Invest in professional pest control services to ensure that all centipedes are properly removed from your home. Although prevention steps go a long way toward guaranteeing ongoing security, they are certainly not enough to destroy an infestation after it begins. Using a control program such as Modern Pest Control will quickly eliminate any extraneous centipede activity before it has a chance to take over your home.
Protect your home with the speed, safety, and affordability that only Modern Pest Control can provide. Consider calling our main office today to contact a centipede control expert. For additional tips about preventing future infestations or customizing the centipede control process to your needs, don’t hesitate to call our Katy office right away.
Modern Pest Control Is Your Trusted Provider Of Centipede Control
There's no question about it: centipedes are certainly some of the most disturbing, least liked, and downright unpleasant animals to be around. Their aggressive, sometimes vicious nature causes them to bite both people and pets, inflicting venomous wounds that take several days to heal. Centipede stings could be even more damaging for vulnerable populations, requiring hospitalization to treat. Whether or not an infestation has arisen in your home, centipede activity should never be tolerated near your family.
To defend your property with centipede control tactics proven to work fast, look no further than the professionals at Modern Pest Control. Our highly trained service members are dedicated to creating a holistic centipede program that eliminates pest activity without putting your family in harm's way. Not only are professional treatments some of the safest, cleanest, and most cost-effective solutions to pest control, but they are easily some of the best options for long-term pest management as well.
Here's what the average centipede control program looks like for Katy home and business owners:
Modern Pest Control prefers to start all services with a thorough inspection process. We will begin hunting in the places where you have seen centipedes in the past and investigate for attractant factors, moist areas, or other harborage zones. By using our in-house checklist coupled with your insights, we will identify points of interest as soon as possible.
Next, our service technicians will sit down with you to discuss a customizable centipede control plan. We offer both traditional and eco-friendly treatments that are proven to stop centipedes in their tracks. By addressing all levels of the centipede lifecycle, we can better eliminate insects before another generation is raised.
We will begin to apply our treatment solutions to affected parts of the home. Starting with areas of identification first, we slowly move through the house with products, baits, and traps in tow. We will apply solutions over several visits and continuously return to check for signs of abatement. Because we care deeply for you and your success against centipede populations, we will apply a pest-free guarantee to our service regimen!
After we apply treatment solutions to your Katy home, we will return regularly to ensure that our program can meet your needs. If additional centipedes are found, or if you are not 100% satisfied with your services, Modern Pest Control will return to the home to help in any way possible. We honor our pest service warranties – always and forever!
The Modern Pest Control, centipede management program, was built for homeowners looking for a better way. To combat infestations before they begin or protect your family with eco-friendly, professional commercial and home pest control services that have your needs in mind, look no further than the experts behind Modern Pest Control.
Give us a call today to contact a local centipede control technician. Still have additional questions for the team? Submit an online contact form to connect with an operative in Katy right away. Someone will be with you shortly.