Health

It may go against every instinct you have for self-preservation, but you should never, ever, squish a centipede in your home. It’s difficult to resist the urge to scream, and then stomp on, the scuttling little monstrosity when it creeps across the bathroom floor. We get it; centipedes are creepy. They are what nightmares are made of. They are disgusting, and they move really fast. Don’t even get us started on all those legs. Even those of you who are immune to shudder-inducing creepy crawlies like spiders and roaches may find themselves stopping in their tracks over the centipede. plunketts.net There is nothing good about a creature who loves to hang out in your bathroom, lurking within your drains or worse, (if you are squeamish, skip to the next paragraph)... your toilet. You need this thing gone, and now. Please, remove it from the most sacred of all private places with our blessing. But if you have the urge to stomp and squish, we implore you: Resist. The. Urge. 😨😨😨 YouTube Here’s the reason why we are asking you to do the impossible: that centipede may be the only thing standing between you and a bathroom full of other creepy, crawling creatures. Wikimedia Commons This is a house centipede. Unlike it's larger, more disgusting (and lethal) family members, the house centipede has a shorter body and about 30 legs. While they may induce a nightmare or two, these creepers are your best, most natural defense against unwanted house guests like spiders, bedbugs, cockroaches, silverfish, and ants. Stoppestinfo Why, you ask? Because as disgusting as the centipede is to look at, it’s eating habits are even worse. Those little crawlers are like a gourmet meal. Silverfish (like the one below) are especially relevant because they share the same environmental conditions, like your humid bathroom. If you haven’t noticed any silverfish slithering around your bathroom, you can thank your disgusting little exterminator for its help. Termites Don’t get us wrong, we aren’t suggesting you let centipedes roam freely around your house, especially if you see a few of them (Ewww) darting across your floors at warp speed. Instead of squishing it, do the humane thing and scoop the centipede into a jar and release it outside in an area with some nice damp leaves and rocks. Let the little bugger chow down and keep your outdoors a little safer from other nasties. thebuzztube.com If you can’t stand the thought of them around at all, try reducing the humidity and moisture in your bathroom and basement to discourage your unwanted house guest. If you’ve only seen one or two, consider letting them stay. Just remember, if you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you. Besides maybe scaring the bejeezus out of you during your 2 a.m. bathroom ritual. A typical house centipede isn’t strong enough to bite you, so the worst it can do is scar you mentally. Forget we mentioned that. What's That Bug? If we need to really put this into perspective for you, think of it this way. The next time you want to squish a spider lurking in your house, you risk releasing hundreds of live baby spiders. Hundreds! Piotr Naskrecki Just let the centipedes do what they do best. Try not to judge them too harshly, because all they really want to do is eat the spiders and roaches in your basement. They’re happy, you’re happy. Everyone is happy. In other words, centipedes make you happy! Credits: dailytrendsetter.com