Is it a worm with a hundred legs? Centipedes are super creepy, no matter where you encounter them.
In Richmond, the most common problem for homeowners inside their residences is the house centipede. (Check out this blog post or the pest library for more information on the house centipede.) While they are definitely an issue, there are other harmful varieties of centipedes roaming around our area as well.
Types of Centipedes
As we mentioned above, there are multiple types of centipedes in Virginia. The most common, the house centipede, has a flatter, oval body. We've already talked about this horrifying creature in a previous blog post, so we'll focus here on the other varieties you'll find in your home and yard.
The Brown Centipede, which is about an inch long, is a dark reddish-brown color. It has antennae on the front and tail on the back, which look so similar that it might be confusing which is which at first. However, you can pretty quickly identify the head, being a little larger with huge fangs protruding from it. These centipedes don't mind living inside your house, or outside it in your garden.
The Eastern Bark Centipede is larger than the others, growing to be about 3 inches long. These guys are mostly black, with a reddish-brown head and pale antennae and legs. This species of centipede is special because the venom in the males and females works through different mechanisms. Either way, take care to avoid getting bit!
The Eastern Red Centipede is -you guessed it- red. It's slightly smaller than the Eastern Bark Centipede but still gets to be about 2.5 inches long. These centipedes will actually eat other centipedes, as well as other insects. They are fast and have a painful bite. Because they like to live under moist objects, take care when moving flowerpots, stones, or wood in your garden. They are likely lurking underneath and you don't want to tangle with those fangs.
The other category of centipedes includes a number of different varieties of Soil Centipedes. Fortunately, because these creatures spend most of their life underground, you likely won't have many encounters with these creepy crawlies.
How Do I Get Rid Of Centipedes?
You can discourage centipedes from taking up residence in your home and yard by reducing damp areas. This would include making sure leaks are stopped, standing water is removed, and plants are not overwatered. You should also seal up entry points, such as cracks in walls or crawl space entrances; gaps around doors and windows; and any other potential entrance. Keeping grass clippings, rotting wood, leaves, and other decaying organic material away from your foundation and out of your yard will help a lot.
Because centipedes feed on other insects, a year-round pest control barrier for your home and seasonal yard control will reduce the population of centipedes a lot. It will reduce them both directly, via their contact to the pest control barrier, and indirectly, by eliminating their food supply with the reduction of other insects on the property.
Call us today, we can help you this winter and get you ready for the spring!
To learn more about pests in Virginia, check out our pest library