Here Are Some Reasons Why You Should Never Kill a Centipede That You Find in Your Home

• House centipedes are well-known for eliminating pests such as roaches, moths, flies, and termites that may otherwise hide beneath your furniture.

• The 15-legged animal carries venom on two of its legs near its head and scoops up its victim with its other legs, a practice known as “lassoing.”

• Centipedes do not make nets or webs and do not carry deadly diseases, therefore they are essentially harmless.

Nothing is more horrifying than a house centipede darting across the floor and under your couch. It’s reasonable to say that most people are afraid of creepy crawling house guests. House centipedes have 15 legs and can move at 1.3 feet per second, which is why trapping one is practically impossible.

A shoe is probably the standard response to a home centipede before it moves under another piece of furniture. But, like almost every other bug out there, this one serves a purpose. And, yes, that goal is worthwhile.

House centipedes are well-known for eliminating unwanted pests in your home. They are effective against roaches, moths, flies, silverfish, and termites. They scoop up the beetle with the two legs closest to its head, which have been adapted to carry poison. They use a “lassoing” strategy in which they jump on their target and wrap their legs around them.

Not only do house centipedes kill the bugs you don’t want in your house, but they also don’t build nests or webs. They are considered active hunters because they are constantly on the lookout for their next prey. They aren’t eating your wood, and they don’t carry a deadly disease. House centipedes only want to eat bugs.

The answer to permanently eliminating home centipedes is to eliminate the food they feed on. Remove the home pests that they prey on. You can accomplish this by using a dehumidifier or placing a fan in the bathroom to remove excess moisture from the walls. Seal off any cracks in the house so bugs don’t have a place to lay their eggs, and make sure your house is clear of any debris that is causing unwanted moisture to flow into your walls.