The oil that kills centipedes is tea tree oil and peppermint oil which can also deter and repel centipedes and even spiders.
Centipedes do hate vinegar and vinegar can also kill centipedes when you spray or pour undiluted vinegar onto the centipede.
House centipedes do eat cockroaches and other insects such as firebrats, spiders and even silverfish and other small insects so centipedes can be beneficial.
The most common house centipede is the Scutigera coleoptrata which is a species of centipede that is usually yellowish grey and has up to 15 pairs of long legs.
The Scutigera coleoptrata originated in the Mediterranean region and has spread to other parts of the world.
The time of year that centipedes are the most common is in the spring months and summer months although they can be active anytime of the year.
The reason you should never squish a centipede is it releases an unpleasant odor.
If you squish a centipede the centipede will release a mild odor that is unpleasant when you squish the body.
It's best to avoid squishing the centipede in the house and try to get it outside first before killing it if possible.
Sleeping with a centipede in your room is safe as long as the centipede does not get into your bed and crawl on you.
If you have centipedes in your room you should try to get the centipedes out of your room or kill them.
A centipede will crawl on you at night if it gets into your bed so it's best to get the centipedes out of your house and bedroom when you have them.
Centipedes can bite you in your sleep or anytime else by using their hollow legs that are adapted with claws to bite into the skin.
The pincer like maxillipeds are also known as toxicognaths or poison claws that are found under the first body segment and can cause small puncture wounds and blisters when the centipede crawls across your skin.
Things that attract centipedes are food sources and cool, dark and damp places that are rarely disturbed.
Most species of centipedes prefer living outdoors and some centipedes such as house centipedes are more comfortable living in both outdoor and indoor locations.
Centipedes can enter your house by crawling through drains and sump pumps or come inside with things that you bring inside which were stored outside or sometimes the centipede will craw in through small cracks and crevices of the house or holes.
Centipedes are bigger than a millipede as millipedes are tiny when compared to centipedes as millipedes reach lengths of up to 10 inches while centipedes can reach lengths of up to 12 inches and sometimes a bit longer.
Giant centipede bites usually cause a burning and stinging feeling of pain and there will usually be redness and swelling.
Giant house centipedes are not poisonous although when they bite they can cause severe pain and swelling.
A giant centipede bite will feel like a burning sensation and be very painful for awhile.
You may also experience redness, swelling and itching after the giant centipede bite.
Centipedes are not poisonous to humans although the centipede bite is painful and can cause redness and swelling.
Centipede bites do sometimes itch as well as may be red and swollen.
If a centipede bites you the bite will be painful and there may be redness and swelling for a few days or so.
However the venom from a centipede including the giant centipede is not poisonous to humans so you should be okay and nothing should happen.
Giant centipedes are not poisonous to humans although giant centipedes can bite and the bite from a giant centipede is really painful.
Some people may have an allergic reaction to the giant centipede bite although the venom of a giant centipede or other centipede is not poisonous to humans.
Centipedes are scared of humans, large animals, light and also avoid peppermint oil, rosemary oil, close oil, thyme oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil and tea tree oil.
Centipedes do not like being pet or handled and if you keep a centipede as a pet they are only good for visual pets and being enjoyed by looking at them.
Giant centipedes and regular centipedes can be friendly if left alone or you don't seem a threat to them but centipedes can also be very aggressive and bite readily if they see you as a threat.
Giant centipede venom causes rapid paralysis in cockroaches, lizards or any other animal that gets bit by the giant centipede.
Giant centipedes are somewhat aggressive which means the giant centipede will bite a perceived threat readily.
Symptoms of a giant centipede bite are swelling, redness, inflammation and intense pain.
Big centipedes and giant centipedes eat Silverfish, Bed bugs, Earthworms, Crickets, Moths, Cockroaches, Spiders and even other centipedes.
A giant centipede can get as big as 12 inches or 1 foot in length and some giant centipedes may get a bit bigger.
Giant Centipedes live on average of 10 years and can grow as long as 12 inches of 1 foot long.
The Arthropleura centipedes are no longer alive as they have gone extinct.
Arthropleura (meaning “jointed ribs”) was a giant, centipede-like arthropod from the Carboniferous period 320 to 299 million years ago, and was the largest known land arthropod ever.
The Arthropleura centipede was so big because the oxygen level then was 50 percent higher than it is today which allowed it to grow so big.
Arthropleura was able to grow larger than modern arthropods, partly because of the greater partial pressure of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere at that time and partly because of the lack of large terrestrial vertebrate predators.
Giant centipedes as well as regular centipedes are very common in Hawaii.
Hawaii is home to three species of centipede Lithobius sp, Mecistocephalus maxillaries, and Scolopendra subspinipes.
S. subspinipes is the only Hawaiian centipede with clinical significance and has a number of aliases, including Giant Centipede, Jungle Centipede, Vietnamese Centipede, and Chinese Red Head.
Animals that prey on giant centipedes include small cats, mongooses, large birds, scorpions, lizards and snakes.
Giant centipedes such as the Amazonian giant centipede live mostly in subtropical and tropical rain forests of western and northern South America.
Giant Centipedes also live in and inhabit areas of the Caribbean which include St. Thomas, St, U.S. Virgin Islands and Jamaica.
Centipedes can travel as fast as 1.3 feet per second so they can get away from most predators pretty quickly or catch up to their own meals.
Seeing a centipede is good luck as both centipedes and millipedes are symbols of good luck, healing and energy.
The lifespan of a centipede is between 5 to 6 years.
Unless the centipede gets killed or eaten in the wild then the centipede will live on average of up to 6 years although some centipedes may live a bit longer or shorter life.
Centipedes in prehistoric times were found to be as big as a width of 55 centimeters 22 in), length of 1.9 meters (6 ft 3 in) to 2.63 meters (8 ft 8 in) and body mass of 50 kg (110 lb).
The deadliest centipede in the world is the Amazonian giant centipede.
Scolopendra gigantea, also known as the Peruvian giant yellow-leg centipede or Amazonian giant centipede, is a centipede in the genus Scolopendra.
It is the largest centipede species in the world, with a length exceeding 30 centimeters.
Specimens may have 21 or 23 segments.
Most centipede bites are just painful and not dangerous to your health.
However some people may have allergic reactions or infections after the centipede bite and if you do then see the doctor or go to the hospital if it's an emergency.