Centipedes

Your Chicagoland Guide on Centipedes

The Breakdown

COLOR	SIZE	LEGS	DANGER/DESTRUCTION RATING
Brown/Yellow	1- 12 in	100	Moderate – High

Centipedes

Centipedes resemble worms with a hundred legs. They are long, flat, and range from light to dark yellow and sometimes reddish brown. They have a pair of antennas on their heads and are extremely quick on their feet.

They are not out to harm people, however, if they feel threatened they will bite. The bites are not life threatening but will cause extreme pain in the affected area.

When outdoors, these pests will usually be found in damp areas, under rocks, and in logs. House centipedes, on the other hand, live their whole life indoors and reproduce much quicker than outdoor ones. Centipedes don’t damage food supplies or other household items. They will eat up other insects you have around your home. In that way, they are a bit helpful, but their presence is often revolting and unsettling. If you believe you have a centipede infestation, we recommend that you contact a pest control professional.

Signs of an Infestation

Some signs you want to look out for when you have an infestation is possibly seeing more insects around the house. Centipedes feed on them so if you see more insects, you might also see more centipedes. Moisture in a building’s foundation could also be attracting more centipedes to your home. If you think you have an infestation, you could set glue traps around your home which could help you figure out the kind of population you’re dealing with.

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Understanding the Seasons

Weather has a profound effect on pest life cycle. Most pests, rodents and insects breed aggressively during spring and go through periods of hibernation during autumn and winter.

Spring

When the weather slowly begins to heat up, pests start to get more active after having stayed dormant over the colder winter months.

Birds often start to find mates and start building their nests.
Moths which consumer leaves usually become active again.
Flies often emerge from their winter hibernation places and start to breed and spread out.
Squirrels also spend the winter in hibernation. When spring approaches these creatures start looking for a new home. This is usually the time when they make their way into lofts and other spaces.

Summer

Summer is arguably the best season for pests. It is the time when they are in full swing and breed as rapidly as they can. Wasps are one of the most common summer pests followed by flies and rodents. Many a summer picnics and BBQs have been ruined by the ‘home invasion’ of these pests.

Wasps build their nesting grounds and lay their eggs during this time. Although the creatures are not directly harmful, they can be very aggressive and territorial at this time of the year, because they’re at their strongest.
The number of fleas also multiplies. Since pets spend more time outdoors during summer, they are more likely to bring the pests back indoors with them.
Bees are also more active during summer as they go out to gather nectar. Many times, homeowners find a new beehive in their garden and require pest control to take care of it. Because of their sting, bees are more dangerous than some of the other pests and you should call our professional service to get rid of them.
Moths and flies usually start to multiply significantly during summer.
Ants begin to swarm to find new mates and start new colonies during summer.
Cockroaches become very noticeable in the summer, especially in the kitchen and toilets. This is due to the hotter temperatures and stronger smells.
Bedbugs are also very active in the summer.

Autumn

Autumn is the month when things start to get cooler. The number of pests starts to dwindle as they begin to slow down their breeding activities.

Wasps start becoming dozy and docile. You may find them buzzing around occasionally as if they are drunk. This is usually the end-time for their life.
Spiders in particular are more active at this time of the year.
Squirrels will gather their food and start to look for shelter.
The second breeding phase for flies begins. These pests remain active during the season.
Rodents also become more active. Due to the approaching cold, rodents usually find shelter inside homes in the loft or inside walls.

Winter

The coldest months are when pests seek out warmth and shelter. You will find a number of insects especially rodents and lizards make their way inside your home.

Spiders come into our homes to escape the web-destroying frosts.
Rodents move indoors to escape the cold, increasing infestations.
In many cases, homeowners find squirrels nesting in lofts when they go to get their Christmas decorations.