This is Why You Should Never Kill a House Centipede

• Centipedes have a useful purpose in your home – getting rid of unwanted pests.
• They use the venom stored in their two front legs to kill their prey.
• Getting rid of its food sources is the best and humane way to get rid of centipedes.

Most of us get scared when we see a centipede crawling on the floor. We sure don’t want them creepy crawlers slinking on its numerous legs towards us, much less to walk all over our skin.

So the instinct to squish the thing is understandable. But do you know that centipedes actually have a purpose and we shouldn’t actually kill them?

Those centipedes lurking around your house actually kill pests in your home. These pests include flies, roaches, termites, moths, and silverfish.

Centipedes carry venom on the two legs near their heads. The other legs are used to scoop up the bug.

This technique is called “lassoing,” in which a centipede jumps on its prey and envelope it using the rest of its legs.

Another good thing about this is that centipedes do not build webs or nests to dwell on. They are active hunters that are constantly on the move. You don’t have to worry about them eating your wood or carrying around diseases. Going after the bugs is all that they do.

Of course, this may not change your mind about letting centipedes stay in your home. If you really want to get rid of them, there are other ways to do so without killing them.

Removing their food source is the humane way to eliminate them. This means getting rid of the pests that they prey on.

Use a humidifier or fan to remove the extra moisture in your walls. Put sealants on the cracks in your home so pests wouldn’t be able to lay eggs on them. Clear your house of debris to remove sources of unnecessary moisture that can leak into your walls.