The most common centipede in Australia is the native house centipede (allothereua maculata). Although house centipedes are harmless, they are definitely creepy bugs that may give you quite a shock if you stumble upon one in your home. Luckily, there are a few easy things you can do to keep them in the great outdoors, where they belong.
Identifying House Centipedes
Centipedes are not considered insects because they have far more than 6 legs. Like insects, however, centipedes are arthropods, which is the largest group of animals on earth. This means they are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, jointed appendages, and paired legs.
House centipedes are brownish yellow in color with three darker stripes that run down their backs. The house centipede is long and flat. Even though centipede means “hundred feet,” an adult usually only has 15 pairs of legs. The last pair can be extremely long and thin, up to twice the length of its body. Their bodies are typically only 2.5-4 cm long, but the amount and length of the legs, makes them appear much larger.
House Centipede Behavior
The majority of centipedes live outdoors and are rarely seen in homes. As the name suggests, however, the house centipede is quite comfortable in homes and other buildings. They live in urban areas as well as forests. House centipedes are attracted to homes by food and water. They love to munch on household pests like spiders, roaches, carpet beetles, silverfish, and more. They prefer damp environments that are also dark like bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements, and floor drains.
Controlling House Centipedes
If you want to get rid of the centipedes, it is important to get rid of their food and water sources. Solve moisture problems in your home by fixing leaky faucets and pipes and using a dehumidifier, if necessary. If you have infestations of other bugs around your home, you need to get them under control as well, or the centipedes will continue to come in.
Centipede control also involves sealing the exterior of your home to prevent entry. Walk around the exterior and seal any cracks or gaps you see using caulk or expandable spray foam. You should also make sure you have screens on windows and drains and weatherstripping around doors.
If you are in need of help managing house centipedes or any other household pests, call the professionals at Radar Pest Control. Our expert technicians are ready to help keep your family safe and pest free. For Sunshine Coast pest control you won’t find better than Radar Pest Control.