Is it certain immediate death to move a house centipede outdoors?

[Anonymous]

I don’t usually kill house bugs tbh, usually just move them outside, unless mosquito etc. Don’t get many bugs.

Approaching midnight tonight I found a centipede in the sink, and I slipped him into a big yogurt container and dropped him outside. He scurried off to the sounds of crickets etc.

Presumably this large centipede had lived his whole prior life inside my house, and he may be in for something of a shock out there. Is he going to get eaten immediately?

I’m sort of wondering if I should have just moved him to the basement. At lease he’s free now and will have an adventure?

Realize I’m worrying too much about a bug but, you know, we all just have our “one wild and precious life” etc (thank you, Mary Oliver).

Tell me, what else should I have done?

[Anonymous]

I doubt he lived his whole life in your house unless you have a big infestation.

Putting him out at night was helpful. More cover from birds and he can explore without getting dried out.

[Anonymous]

You should have smashed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should have smashed it.

No way. Not a house centipede. They are harmless and actually eat other harmful pests. House centipedes are good guys!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I doubt he lived his whole life in your house unless you have a big infestation.

Putting him out at night was helpful. More cover from birds and he can explore without getting dried out.

From wiki:
"Unlike its shorter-legged but larger tropical cousins, S. coleoptrata can live its entire life inside a building, usually on the ground levels of homes. While many homeowners may be unsettled by house centipedes due to their speed and appearance, they pose little to no threat towards humans, and are often beneficial as they catch other, more harmful pests, such as cockroaches."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I doubt he lived his whole life in your house unless you have a big infestation.

Putting him out at night was helpful. More cover from birds and he can explore without getting dried out.

From wiki:
"Unlike its shorter-legged but larger tropical cousins, S. coleoptrata can live its entire life inside a building, usually on the ground levels of homes. While many homeowners may be unsettled by house centipedes due to their speed and appearance, they pose little to no threat towards humans, and are often beneficial as they catch other, more harmful pests, such as cockroaches."

Also, they live up to 7 years! Crazy.

[Anonymous]

I am looking at these creatures in an entirely different light.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I doubt he lived his whole life in your house unless you have a big infestation.

Putting him out at night was helpful. More cover from birds and he can explore without getting dried out.

From wiki:
"Unlike its shorter-legged but larger tropical cousins, S. coleoptrata can live its entire life inside a building, usually on the ground levels of homes. While many homeowners may be unsettled by house centipedes due to their speed and appearance, they pose little to no threat towards humans, and are often beneficial as they catch other, more harmful pests, such as cockroaches."

Also, they live up to 7 years! Crazy.

Didn’t know that. I figured it had a short life cycle.

At least it wasn’t a huge Hawaiian centipede Op! Those bite and are disgusting in your house, under brush and leaves, and send off an odor when dead to attract more!

[Anonymous]

I woke up once years ago with a house centipede crawling on my cheek. I kill them all after that.

[Anonymous]

I bet he is about to have a great outdoors adventure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I woke up once years ago with a house centipede crawling on my cheek. I kill them all after that.

She was trying be your friend and then you squished her?

[Anonymous]

The way I read the title, I thought op was fearing for her life.

The bug will find his way back to you, don’t worry.

[Anonymous]

They supposed to be being good luck on your house, and they eat bad bugs like roaches

[Anonymous]

I don't have love for the house centipedes. I just cannot. All those legs? That keep twitching if you squash them? Nope, not in my home, nope.

Spiders I love.

I vacuum the centipedes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t usually kill house bugs tbh, usually just move them outside, unless mosquito etc. Don’t get many bugs.

Approaching midnight tonight I found a centipede in the sink, and I slipped him into a big yogurt container and dropped him outside. He scurried off to the sounds of crickets etc.

Presumably this large centipede had lived his whole prior life inside my house, and he may be in for something of a shock out there. Is he going to get eaten immediately?

I’m sort of wondering if I should have just moved him to the basement. At lease he’s free now and will have an adventure?

Realize I’m worrying too much about a bug but, you know, we all just have our “one wild and precious life” etc (thank you, Mary Oliver).

Tell me, what else should I have done?

You should have shut the light off and gone back to bed.

House centipedes are a blessing and absolutely nothing but. You will almost never see them, but they will live in your walls and eat all the nasty bugs you don't want in your house.

Never kill or relocate a house centipede. It's your roommate. It doesn't want to harm you, it wants to save your from the destruction of all the nasty bugs. Be grateful if you have one.