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Most people really don’t like insects. And for good reason- most insects can be annoying, especially when found inside your home and some can be damaging to your property, your health and to your well-being. Then there is the category of bugs that we just don’t like because of their creepy appearance. Bugs like house centipedes, camel crickets and silverfish all make our skin crawl, especially if they are happened upon unexpectedly inside our homes. Here is more information than you probably ever wanted to know about those ugly bugs, as well as some useful tips on what you can do to prevent them.
House Centipedes
These insects are sometimes referred to as ‘hundred-leggers’ because of their many pairs of legs. They have a wide range of sizes, from 1/8 of an inch to 6 inches long and wiggle their little worm-like bodies across your floor our counter tops with their segmented bodies and their 15 to 177 pairs of legs (they can vary across species!). They DO bite and though it is painful, it is not life threatening.
House Centipede Prevention: To try to prevent these insects from entering your home, eliminate areas of high moisture as well as cluttered areas that provide hiding places for these bugs.
Camel Crickets
Their true name is Rhaphidophoridae, but since that’s a mouthful, you can just call them camel crickets. Unlike the crickets you may know, these crickets don’t have wings and don’t chirp. They have long antennae and long slender legs, looking a bit like your typical cricket with a few variations. Camel crickets have an almost humpbacked appearance and they are brown in color; they can be up to two inches long. They are not known to bite.
Camel Cricket Prevention: To prevent camel crickets from entering your home, you need to eliminate cool, damp and dark habitats. Unfortunately basements are cool, dark and damp by nature, so this may not be an easy task!
Silverfish
These insects measure between 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in length and have a wingless, flattened body. They have an elongated shape, somewhat similar to the centipede, but with only three long bristle like appendages protruding from the rear of their body. They taper from head to rear and usually are covered in silver or gray scales. They are not known to bite.
Silverfish Prevention: To avoid inviting silverfish into your home, eliminate warm, humid and moist areas, like the conditions that can be found in bathrooms, under sinks and in attics.
To avoid coming into contact with these ugly little bugs, you can also make sure that the exterior of your home is free of any little gaps or openings that may be allowing these pests inside. These insects are all considered ‘occasional invaders’ and they don’t typically come storming into your home, looking for shelter. They may have entered accidentally, but when they start entering in large numbers, they can be a real annoyance!
If you’ve come across these pests in your home, don’t hesitate to give the professionals at All-American Pest Control a call. We offer home pest control services in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin and throughout Mid-Tennessee, providing coverage for over 47 pests that are common in our area as well as exterior treatments, interior services as needed and no annual contracts! Contact us today for more information!