Centipedes

Signs You Have Centipedes

What homeowners spot first

1. Quick-moving, many-legged creatures darting across basement or bathroom floors
2. Sightings in bathrooms, basements, laundry rooms, or kitchens
3. Shed exoskeletons in corners or along baseboards (centipedes molt as they grow)
4. Activity at night when lights are turned on, then a fast dash for cover
5. A simultaneous silverfish, spider, or roach problem (their food source)

Centipedes are predators that hunt insects, spiders, and other small arthropods. They're nocturnal and prefer dark, damp areas. House centipedes commonly live indoors year-round. They can bite if handled but rarely do so, and bites are usually minor.

Centipede control focuses on habitat modification and crack/crevice treatment. We reduce moisture issues, seal entry points, apply residual treatments to hiding spots, and address the prey insects that attract centipedes. Reducing their food source (other insects) is key to long-term control.

Are centipedes dangerous?

House centipedes can bite but rarely do, and bites are typically no worse than a bee sting. They're not aggressive and prefer to flee. Large outdoor centipedes have more painful bites but are seldom encountered indoors.

Why do I have centipedes in my house?

Centipedes need moisture and prey. Their presence indicates: 1) damp conditions somewhere in your home, and 2) other insects for them to eat. Fixing moisture issues and reducing other pests eliminates the conditions they need.

Should I kill house centipedes?

Centipedes are beneficial predators. They eat spiders, silverfish, earwigs, and small roaches, so a few in a basement are doing free pest work. If sightings are intolerable, the long-term fix is moisture reduction and treatment of the prey pests, not killing centipedes one at a time.