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Hey there,
Quick question: ever flip on the bathroom light at 2 a.m. and watch a tiny chandelier sprint under the sink?
Meet the house centipede—October’s jump-scare and your home’s quiet enforcer. Long legs, track-star energy, face only a mother could love. But if you can get past the vibes, these weirdos are basically freelance exterminators with fringe benefits.
Here’s the twist: house centipedes don’t nibble your snacks. They hunt the things that do. Roaches, silverfish, moths, termites, even baby spiders—gone. They’re like the bouncers who don’t talk much but somehow everyone behaves when they show up.
Fun (and unsettling) facts
They can book it—around a foot per second. That’s Usain Bolt in a shoebox.
Those “fangs” are modified legs. Metal album cover, minimal risk. Bites are rare and usually milder than a bee sting.
Courtship looks like a tap dance. He drums, she decides. Consent, but make it arthropod.
Why October?
Cool nights push pests indoors. Your walls warm up. Your pipes sweat. Your basement whispers “spa day.” Centipedes follow the buffet. If they’re thriving, it’s feedback: your microclimate is hosting more guests than you invited.
Home Tip
Dry it out. Dehumidifier to ~45–50% in basements/bathrooms. Moisture is the dinner bell.
Seal the snacks. Caulk baseboards, fix drips, store dry goods tight, vacuum crumbs—starve what centipedes hunt.
Declutter low zones. Cardboard piles = roach condos. Swap for plastic bins.
Dim the runway. Night lights attract moths; moths attract hunters. Use warmer bulbs or motion-only.
If relocation is a must, cup, coaster, escort outside. No drama, zero smell.
Body parallel (because your house is a body you live inside)
Moisture balance matters. Too much humidity in a home feeds mold and pests; too much stress in a body feeds the stuff you don’t want (hello, sugar cravings, poor sleep, sluggish digestion). Keep your “internal climate” steady—hydration, minerals, real meals, un-glamorous bedtime—and you’ll notice fewer flare-ups, literal and figurative.
Philosophy of the Many-Legged
Centipedes are a reminder that protection doesn’t always look pretty. Sometimes help shows up with extra limbs and bad PR. Before you reach for the spray, ask: is this a threat—or a message about my environment?
P.S. Looks mislead—centipedes ≠ menace, red paint ≠ pricier. If rates creep up, shop around:
Do red cars cost more to insure?
You may have heard the myth that red cars cost more to insure, often with varying reasons why. The truth is, the color of your car has nothing to do with your premium. Insurance companies are more interested in your vehicle’s make, model, age, safety features, and your driving history. What’s not a myth, though — is that people really can save a ton of money by switching insurers. Check out Money’s car insurance tool to see if you could, too.
Until next week,
Gabi & Bea