Question
I live in a 4 plex and I have cennipeds coming in my apartment at nite and I want to know if they cause illiness? they are creepy and move fast they are about 3 to 4 inches long.What should I do I have told the manager about big spiders and other things coming in they spray every month but nothing helps. they spray in side every month to all apartments.Will they make you sick or What?
         Carol Smith

Answer
Carol,

Centipedes enter homes when the soils outside are too wet. If it has rained a lot lately this is probably the reason and they will go away when the soils dry out. Large centipedes can bite but they are not dangerous. The best way to control things like centipedes and spiders in homes is with sticky traps, see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/spider_tp.html for information about using spider traps. The spider traps are easy to use, non-toxic and work better than insecticide sprays.

Jack DeAngelis