House Centepede

tilathehunn
tilathehunn Posts: 168 ✭✭✭

Found this on my siding last night. First time i have ever seen one. So question, it seems like it is a beneficial insect but technically not a native species. Should i leave it alone or kill it. Any thoughts? It does not seem to be a danger to humans or pets. Thank you for any input

Comments

  • stephanie447
    stephanie447 Posts: 404 ✭✭✭

    We get these inside the house ALL the time and they are annoying as Heck. Won't hurt you. Skedaddle around really fast and creep you out by climbing up walls and on the ceiling. Yes, we kill them. Look, I lived in Texas for 8 years and occasionally had to deal with scorpions (EEEK!!). I'd take a million of these over 1 scorpion any day of the week! :-)

  • Bryce Langebartels
    Bryce Langebartels Posts: 47 ✭✭✭

    We have them as well (central Indiana) and they are indeed annoying, but don't seem to bother anything. I kill them in the house but leave them alone outside.

  • judsoncarroll4
    judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,490 admin

    They do bite. We have TONS of them around here! They are little bother, mostly. But, they are more active at night. I don't mind them in any room outside of the bedroom.

  • stephanie447
    stephanie447 Posts: 404 ✭✭✭

    Yikes! I have yet to have one bite me. They are so fragile they squoosh if you sneeze on them practically.

  • nicksamanda11
    nicksamanda11 Posts: 755 ✭✭✭✭

    They always freak me out when i see them. Nashville, TN has them.

  • stephanie447
    stephanie447 Posts: 404 ✭✭✭

    So after my last comment on this thread I went into the bathroom late at night and was sitting on the john and looked up at the mirror -and I'll be damned if the largest centipede wasn't hanging out in the wall behind my left head. I got up real quick and smushed the guy. Sorry, not a Buddhist when it comes to bugs like this. :-D

  • Cornelius
    Cornelius Posts: 872 ✭✭✭✭

    They have venom in their front legs and they literally hug their prey to death. We are too big for them to kill us with it, but still. I have a hard fast rule that if it is a bug in my house I kill it.

  • Ferg
    Ferg Posts: 285 ✭✭✭

    they eat roaches. I love them

    so do spiders. I love them too.

  • mgray11
    mgray11 Posts: 83 ✭✭✭

    Ugh.. Don't miss these critters AT ALL from when I lived in Michigan. I lived in a basement apartment and once awoke to one skittering across my face 😖

    They may eat other bugs but I still don't tolerate them well haha.

    Spiders though? They can hang out in my house because they eat other bugs AND they respect my bubble.

  • Cornelius
    Cornelius Posts: 872 ✭✭✭✭

    @mgray11 I had a spider drop down from my ceiling next to my hand while I was on my computer. So to me they do not respect my personal bubble.

  • burekcrew86
    burekcrew86 Posts: 248 ✭✭✭

    We have them everywhere in Pennsylvania too. They do kill other bugs so they’re beneficial. But I get freaked out when they try to charge me! Not a fan!

  • stephanie447
    stephanie447 Posts: 404 ✭✭✭

    Aiiiee!! One of my biggest fears!!

    But it's nice to hear they eat roaches.