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Are House Centipedes Dangerous to Humans?

There are several and different species of centipedes where some are quite dangerous while some are simply harmless to us humans. Those kinds that are dangerous are centipedes that lives in the forest or grassy areas. They do usually posses orange or dark red color and most likely they come in bigger sizes as compared to the centipedes that dwells inside houses.

For those who haven’t encountered centipedes yet in their entire life, these are insects consisting of segmented bodies with several pairs of legs. Scientists categorized them as millipedes which belong to the Arthropods family.

Special species of centipedes are commonly the most dangerous kinds and they can grow large sizes ranging between 24 to 30 inches. With such size, they can easily pray on small creatures including a fully grown rat!

Now to answer the question,

"Are house centipedes dangerous to humans?"

The answer is "No". Common centipedes that can be found around your house are the harmless type of species. Their bodies do not contain poison that is deadly to us humans. So if it happens that you accidentally made contact with them, rest assured that you are completely safe. However, you may find them quite aggressive type of creatures.

Are there any benefits having these creepy crawlers inside your house? Or, are they just another pests like the bed bugs?

The only benefit of having Centipedes around your house is that they feed on other smaller insects such as ants, termites and bugs. Although, they can be so annoying seeing a lot of them running around your house. "Food" is the main reason of their presence.

Ants are one among the insects that house centipedes hunts for their food. But investigating why ants invaded houses in the first place, this is actually due to the reason that they are being attracted from unsealed sources of human foods. Aside from ants, another common type of insect that invade houses are the termites. Unlike ants, they are attracted inside houses that are made out of woods. Other insects are attracted through holes and cracks which is perfect for concealing themselves as their perfect habitat.

Therefore, if you want to get rid of the Centipedes then you have to clean your house to get rid of the other insects. Fix those holes and seal your food-source properly and it is for sure that they will leave your house on their own. Please don’t kill them as they meant no harm in trying to invade your house. They just want to survive and it’s just a coincidence that they found their food inside your home.

Cats Vs Centipedes


Are house Centipedes Dangerous to Cats?

If you have a pet that often stays inside your home then it is mostly likely that they will encounter Centipedes crawling around the corners. Cats do have the tendency to attack the crawling creature and ends up as the victor of the battle. As already mentioned above, Centipedes that can be found inside the house aren’t dangerous since they do not have any poisons contained inside their bodies. Your Cat will only be put on danger when it encountered the special type of species while playing outside on a grassy field.

74 comments:

  1. It's scary to have and see them around. I'll kill them when I see them around.

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    1. I've been bitten and it hurts like a scopion bite.

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    2. ...scorpions don't bite, they sting...

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  2. It says 24-30 ft im pretty sure you meant inches otherwise I'd be scared to ever go outside :P

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  3. Oh sorry, you are right it should be in "inches". Thanks for the correction.

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    1. I'm not sure what the oher anonymous was reading, but I scrolled back up and your article does say 24 - 30 inches...not feet.

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  4. "Please don’t kill them as they meant no harm in trying to invade your house", Are you kidding me?

    I will burn them with a flame thrower. Any insect in the house is an enemy to me! sigh.

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    1. Yes but they eat bedbugs and cockroaches.

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  5. They are being attracted into your house because of the source of food that they can eat. No matter how much you burn everyone of them, they will still keep coming.

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  6. Do they lay eggs or are they just made out from dust and dirt?

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  7. Yes, they do lay eggs.

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  8. I hope he wasn't serious about that question... I saw one for the first time in my bathroom area...Is there anything I can do to prevent them from coming in my home? I live in an apartment, so am I trying to win a losing battle? Please help me...

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  9. Clean your room, they are probably attracted to other insects around your room such as ants, cockroaches and other similar pests.

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  10. They're everywhere! I spray them with generic Kroger lemon cleaner to slow them down then quickly smash them with a shoe. I hate to kill God's creatures, but house centipedes are really scary. All those legs! They love wet and woodsy Indiana, and when it's cold outside they're inside tormenting me. By the way, centipedes are poisonous. But pesticides are carcinogenic. Boric acid?

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    1. Can you imagine the females trying to shave their legs? Bahahahaha

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  11. Those with black colored bodies with red legs are the once that are very dangerous.

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    1. Centipedes are not dangerous and cannot kill you, this guy has no idea what he is talking about

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  12. Actually, I think you meant centimeters...

    In response to: "It says 24-30 ft I'm pretty sure you meant inches otherwise I'd be scared to ever go outside"

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  13. Is it possible that it enters into human ears?

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  14. Yes, it is possible especially those small once.

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    1. Wtf, they can enter into your ears. Now, I will kill them all every time that I see one.

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    2. You better hire a Pest Control Service.

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  15. Is it okay to keep the black house centipedes as little pets?

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    1. Yes. In fact, they are considered as exotic pets.

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  16. What do you mean by "aggressive"? They don't like being handled? Btw, I love house centipedes.

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    1. Some people actually find them aggressive. Anyway, I am curious to know about what makes you love them?

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  17. Omg they are disgusting looking. I have such a bad phobia of these things! I usually kill them with bleach though and it scares me when they move. It's just so unnatural to me lol.

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  18. Will they go out of their way to go into your ear and is there any way to prevent it

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    1. If it got inside your ear, the method to remove it is called "flushing". Anyway, it's best to consult your doctor if you do not know what you're doing. And to prevent the insect from going inside your ear, put cotton or foam ear plugs.

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  19. Centipedes scare the hell outta me.....I don't even know why they exist WTH re they lookin for in our body....ewww they re so disgustin nd frightening I practically get petrified 😬😠😠😠

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    1. Their existence is actually very important because they "Balance the Ecosystem".

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  20. I was turning off the light to the room when I noticed one on the ceiling above me. I instantly thought of a story I heard about super poisonous centipedes and I freaked out and ran into the other room. Thank you sooo~ much, I've finally quit feeling like their crawling on my.

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  21. No they won't go in your ears goofballs.

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  22. What happens if it enters your ear

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    1. An ear Specialist will have to perform a method called "Flashing" to get the insect removed.

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  23. I recently moved and have killed about 4 of these cretens. Each one slightly more gross than the other. I have a cat and although its because of her that I'm altered to centipedes and all other cretens, but it sucks that in her natural instinct to want to chase, torment and eventually kill these cretens, he has a bad habit of bringing them on my bed. Just had to jump out of my bed because she brought a centipede in it. It was the fastest I ever stripped off clothes and all beddings to find and kill the centipede. Now I'm freaked out and can't go back to sleep. P.S. I'm locking her out of the bedroom from tonight

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    1. That's a terrible experience. Anyway, most cat will eat it right away but in your case, your cat is probably curious if the creature he caught is edible or not. The reason why he took it on your bed to ask for your confirmation.

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  24. Oh dam I see one an it's gone seconds later be the time I get a broom an I have no ants or especially no roaches. In my house í don't pay bills it's dead!! My cat earns her food! Now im on look out on my bed!!

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    1. It's not just ants or roaches, they also prey on other sorts of insects like termites which can hardly be noticed lurking in the interior parts of your house.

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  25. What happens if it does enter your ear exactly !!! And what if its also poisonous then what ......................!!!!!

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    1. There is a proper medical procedure on how to remove the insect from your ear. Best thing to do is to take it to a doctor to perform the operation.

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  26. do u need to apply an ointment after a centipede bit or it ok to leave it that because it painful

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  27. Its all written above,and also they can go into your ears. I know this because once a centipede was crawling on my neck and i just in time before it could rmter my ear. And if it enters youur ear ever, rush to your doctor.

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  28. That centipede with redish legs and black body bit my mom's toe. Should she see a doctor?

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    1. Well I think those are the poisonous ones. I'd go in just to make sure.

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  29. If you see one in your room after you wake up, and try to kill it but it gets away. What should you do? P.S. It was gray.

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    1. The best method is to clean your house. Take note, centipedes prey on other insects. Most of these insects are present around your house due to access to foods. One good example are ants.

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  30. If you found it in your room and you don't kill it your just scared as heck, Is it ok to sleep in your room? It was a grey one.

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    1. Just turn the lights ON when you go to sleep. Centipedes are afraid to go out on a bright environment.

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  31. Yes, they can go in your ear. I guy from Arkansas woke up with his ear hurting and pulled out a 4-inch centipede. It's shown on youtube and yes, it is real. He went to the hospital.
    peace

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  32. Yeah if you find one with really long legs, usually brown/tan with black stripe vertically down its back, you're safe, physically.

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  33. Ummm a centipede bite landed me in the ER last year. It feels a little worse than a bee sting, but then my whole arm went numb. I was just cleaning out a cabinet, and it bit me on the finger. It was only about an inch long, but man... It was terrible. So they are poisonous, but definitely not deadly. I've only seen 2 or 3 more, but I killed them instantly.

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  34. People are afraid of things they don't understand this type of bond is very intelligent enough to avoid humans you see them incoming houses because they have other bugs like roaches,spiders, ants, temites, even bed bugs. If you dont wanna see them clean your house and they wont comeback

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  35. Yes there needed but one went into my indoor shoe it starteld me and I killed i saw a second one mer minutes later.

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  36. I know their harmless and I have seen them for years but recently they have become more active.

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  37. Just seen one tried to capture or end it in process. Then my laundry basket falls riitte on it. Smh.

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  38. I just woke up I was on my cell phone in the dark using the light from my cell phone I saw one crawling on my pillow toward my ear and I jumped up to find it and it crawled away down the side of the mattress. I'm going to try looking for it cause I'm scared to go back to bed

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  39. I just encountered a centipede in the bathroom,I can't take a nice warm bath with the bastard still sticking in the wall. I tried washing it off the wall then it immediately fell.I thought it would work that it may possibly drown but then the little bitch is still alive then he was hella fast wiggling through the floor.And now I can't kill it cuz he hid behind the toilet.I would burn down the whole bathroom even if you say it's harmless. I CAN'THE STAND THEM, I hate bugs.

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  40. theres a centipede in my room its maybe 7 cm and its not afraid of light tiny legs looks brown or copperish

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  41. I agree I will kill any bug/insect whatever I just can't share inside my house w them. I had rented a house that was infested w them and I had never seen One before until I moved into this house, I had no idea what it was first time I saw one and it was big I almost had heart faliure! I think they r so awful and discussting w all there big creepy legs. They were everywhere like a ufo stopped above the house and dropped them off I was discussted when I first saw it then kept seeing them even at night run across the bed and I complained few months before my land lord called an exterminator but by then I was so grossed out I moved out I took non of my furniture nothing I had stored in basement I was too afraid they would be in there. I can't stand them that place tromotized me an it was an nice clean house I never thought it would be such a nightmare.

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  42. William John WilsonAugust 1, 2016 at 2:16 PM

    I love centipedes.In my houses there are centipedes present in every room and each one is of different colour and I don't think they are house centipedes because they are big enough and colourful like red,purple,black,blue,yellow,orange etc.I have been living with them from 25 years of my life and I seriously like them and love them and I have never killed them even if they come so close to me.So therefore never kill a centipede,spider ,cockroach or ants because they also have all the right to live there beautiful and happy life so love them please don't kill them as God made them just like he made us.thankyou.

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  43. 😣 ewwww!!! I kill them when i see them. I live in a basement apartment. Had never seen one in person before I moved here. So grossed out! 😧

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  44. I woke up this morning and found one in my bathroom, I came here to figure out how poisonous now I know thanks

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  45. What happens if it's body get split in half I smacked one few minutes ago using a slipper but both half are still wiggling.

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  46. centipedes are repulsive and dangerous all of them, kill them the moment you see them when in bathroom pour some toilet cleaner on them, toilet cleaners have hcl acid in them, which kills these creatures in seconds, & so you dont have to jump up & down to squish them under your feet

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  47. Omg! How can someone live with monster for 25yrs. That creature is disguisting. I can't stand it.

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  48. I never knew this night would come! I am not really an early sleeper so while watching the TV I saw something crawling so swiftly toward my where my TV was. I summoned up courage,picked up a broom but twas long and fast gone. Few minutes later it crawled swiftly again right under my bed and that's when I saw it- a centipede!!! I can't find it under my bed now. I hate centipedes;i hate it's name and what it looks like! Now I'm caught between sleep and centipede! I don't deserve this! I hate creepy,crawling insects or anything that looks like it. They disgust me. Nat Geo wild says they dangerous! Why me,God?!!!

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  49. can a centipede enters your brain through ear?

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  50. it greeted my finger what i thought at first was just wind while browsing the net and i freaked out..because of shyness it also ran away..at quick glance it was Scolopendra gigantea about ~10inches long as i watch it creep back into wooden furniture..dem it is a majestic creature but hans get the flammenwerfer!!

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  51. I was using the toilet without knowing there is a centipede in it. So close to my ass. Oh my God. When I got up later to wash my hands and stuffs, that is when I saw it! A frickin centipede which was only a centimeter away from my ass. It is so ugly and scary. Oh my God, what if it went into my ahole?

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  52. I saw one in my sink. I just moved into an apartment that was in renovation few days ago. Went to the sink just rinse a glass then I saw this creepy crawling creature with long legs everywhere. I screamed and boil water to flush it there. But ever since that day I cannot sleep with lights off, just incase.

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  53. I just leave them alone. Sure, they're creepy, but, in small numbers, they're really more useful than annoying (and they actually have cute little faces). If I find them in a place I don't want them, I catch them and move them to the unfinished part of my basement and usually never see the same one again. I do the same for spiders, unless it's something like a brown recluse (I found one once at work, unable to escape an empty plastic bucket) or a black widow (I have yet to find one), in which case I take it to the nearby woods to fend for itself. But house centipedes? I'd much rather have them than ants. (Ick. I loathe ants.)

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