Get Rid of Centipedes

There are more than 2,000 species of centipede in the world, most of which live almost exclusively outdoors. The species in this how-to is the house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata), the only species that can live its entire life and breed inside a building.

Steps

 * 1)   Kill them on sight! Their freakishly long legs make them very fast so you'll have to be quick.  Centipedes don't usually invade homes in large numbers, so you may be able to get rid of your problem just by stomping on, or bug-spraying, every one you see. If you don't want to kill the centipede, you can try to catch it in a jar and release it outside, but this usually leads to a high-pitched scream, a broken jar, and a free centipede.
 * 2) Get rid of all other pests in the home. The centipedes will have nothing to eat, and will hopefully die or move in with the neighbors.
 * 3)  Keep your home dry! Centipedes dry out and die if they don't stay in a moist environment. Clean up basements, closets, or any other damp areas, and use a dehumidifier.
 * 4)  Try setting up sticky traps. Just place them in corners and crevices where centipedes tend to hunt. You may also catch other insects that are sneakily crawling around your home.
 * 5)  Close off all entrance points. This will keep the bugs from entering your home in the first place.  Seal any cracks in concrete foundations, and caulk spaces around doors and windows.
 * 6)  Try an insecticide if none of these natural remedies work. Keep in mind that insecticides are only temporary solutions. Any garden supply store (or Wal-Mart), will carry these products. Just make sure to follow the package directions. If you want to kill the centipedes, but you don’t want to poison the earth, yourself, or your pets, you can use natural pesticides like boric acid or food grade diatomaceous earth for continual centipede control. Products containing plant-derived pyrethrin will exterminate centipedes on contact, and can be used as a fog or spray. Even though these products shouldn't kill pets or humans, it's best not to have prolonged contact with them.

Tips

 * The only creatures that have to worry about house centipedes are other bugs, since centipedes kill and eat a variety of things you’d probably like to get rid of, like bedbugs, termites, silverfish, spiders, and even cockroaches.
 * Centipedes rarely bite people, and sometimes their jaws aren’t even strong enough to pierce human skin in self-defense. If they manage it, a centipede bite will usually resemble a minor bee sting.

Warnings

 * Be careful using any pesticides. Read the instructions carefully.

Things You'll Need

 * A jar (for catch and release)
 * Shoes (for squashing)
 * Dehumidifier
 * Sticky Traps
 * Pesticides