How can I get rid of.........?

Question

centipedes/millipedes?? They are in the stairway of the basement and in the basement. They are NASTY............ about 1 1/2 long with lots of long legs and kind of brownish with some black on them. They GROSS me out! I'm not really exactly sure what the heck they are. I just want to know how I can get rid of them. I'm sure they are of no use inside my house!! :) Thanks

Answer 1

Actually they kill and eat other insects so there must be a food source for them. They like moisture so first things first dry and air out the basement, clean any areas that were damp - bleach is good. Clear any logs, mulch, and/or debris from the foundation of your house.
Use a pesticide to kill any other insects that might be in the basement. Apply a residual insecticides to floorboards corners, around windows, any place that they could hide. Worst comes to worst leave the lights on. They don't like bright lights.

Answer 2

Getting rid of centipedes can be very difficult. They breed under foundations and in moist leaf litter where it is not easy to reach them. Adults can move up into buildings via small cracks in the foundation as they search for prey. Once exposed inside a building they must quickly return to a humid habitat to avoid desiccation. Since their search image is probably moving prey, they are not likely to feed on baits.

This means that setting out sticky traps is probably the best first line of defense. These traps will not only attract and capture centipedes but will strongly indicate population levels and potential routes of access. Experience shows that traps placed at floor level in moist areas do best. Traps do have to be kept fresh because it takes a good sticky trap to hold the larger species of centipede.

The use of pesticides as either an outside perimeter spray or as an interior perimeter spray will only have minimal effect. The centipedes will still travel for a time and the sight of a dead centipede on the floor or trapped in a bathtub is not much better than seeing a fast one flee to safety at night. Dead centipedes that accumulate inside a building will serve as a food source for carpet beetles and other urban pests. Therefore it is really best to capture specimens, reduce moisture and seal out routes of entry.

Reducing moisture under the foundation will help to control centipedes. Make sure that water accumulated from roof top areas is drained well away from the building foundation. For the same reason keep leaves, wood, compost and other organic material away from the side of the building.

Occasionally centipedes are carried directly into a facility along with the delivery of potted plants and other material. As the soil dries out, the centipedes are forced out into the building looking for prey and a humid habitat. In this case it is important to screen and identify temporary sources of infestation so that control can be focused on the source.

Answer 3

borric acid powder♣