As gross as the sight of a centipede may be, there’s little reason to fear them. Homes in the Las Vegas valley are most likely to harbor just two types of centipedes: the desert centipede and the house centipede. While neither are known to bite people, it’s important to learn the differences between the two, their habits, and how to prevent them in your home. Although they’re generally harmless, no one wants to deal with these creepy crawlers!

All About House Centipedes

House centipedes are, true to their name, the most common type of centipede found inside of homes. Like all centipedes, they are elongated, flattened insects with one pair of legs per body segment, which differs based on species and age. Adult house centipedes have 15 pairs of legs with their last pair nearly twice the length of their body, which is typically no more than 1½ inches long and a dirty yellow color. Some of their habits and behaviors include:

They feed on other common household insects such as silverfish, cockroaches, and spiders.
They prefer to live in cool, damp places and are thus frequently found in basements, crawlspaces, and bathtubs.
House centipedes move extremely quickly, but are not known to be aggressive or chase after people.
While they are not known to bite unless directly handled or threatened, their bite can be painful but won’t cause any serious side effects.

Identifying Desert Centipedes

Unlike the house centipede, desert centipedes are dark brown and color and can appear even more frightening, as they grow to be 4 to 6 inches in length. In addition to being one of the biggest centipedes homeowners may come across, they have a distinctive dark stripe running across the segments of their body, which is why they’re often called the tiger centipede. Additionally, desert centipedes are poisonous and are known to bite when threatened. While their bite is not very serious, it still needs to receive medical attention from a professional. If these centipedes make their way inside your home, they are likely hiding out in a damp, secluded area.

Preventing Centipedes in Your Home

Thankfully, centipedes are not common household insects and can be prevented and controlled fairly easily. There are a number of ways you can actively work to keep centipedes out of your home:

Reduce moisture: Staying vigilant about fixing water pipes or leaky faucets can eliminate the preferred environment of centipedes as well as other pests.
Eliminate clutter: Removing hiding spots for centipedes is a reliable way of making sure they can’t hide out in your home.
Seal openings: Inspect the perimeter of your home and seal any cracks, holes, or openings to keep centipedes from getting inside
Control other insects: Centipedes feed on other insects in the home and will thus appear when you have other insect problems.

Professional Centipede Control in Las Vegas

Let’s face it: No one wants to come across a centipede inside their home. Despite being rather harmless, they look frightening and move at a quick speed. If you believe you have a house or desert centipede inside your Las Vegas home, call the experts at Western Exterminator. We can help keep your property free of centipedes for good!