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Occasional Invaders

Centipedes

Scutigera coleoptrata (house centipede) and others

Danger Level: 2/5Updated September 2026 · Boise, ID

IdentificationHow to Identify Centipedes

Quick Answer

Centipedes have flattened, segmented bodies with one pair of legs per segment. House centipedes have extremely long legs and antennae, giving them a distinctive "hairy" appearance.

Full identification notes

They move very quickly. Unlike millipedes, centipedes are carnivorous predators.

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Centipedes Behavior & Habits

Understanding how centipedes behave helps prevent infestations

Centipedes are predators that hunt insects, spiders, and other small arthropods.

More about their habits

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.

Centipedes Risks & Dangers

What centipedes can do to your health and property

Health Risks

Large centipedes can bite, causing pain similar to a bee sting.

Property Damage

No property damage.

Full health and property details

Health Risks

Bites are rare and usually only occur if the centipede is handled or trapped against skin. Allergic reactions are possible but uncommon.

Property Damage

Centipedes are beneficial predators that eat spiders, silverfish, and other household pests. The downside is purely visual: a fast-moving, many-legged bug on a basement wall is unsettling for most homeowners.

Signs of Centipedes Infestation

Look for these indicators in your home

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)
More signs to look for
  1. Activity at night when lights are turned on, then a fast dash for cover
  2. A simultaneous silverfish, spider, or roach problem (their food source)

Centipedes in Boise & the Treasure Valley

Most of our house centipede calls come out of older Boise neighborhoods with full basements: the North End, East End, Hyde Park, and the Boise Bench.

More on what we see locally

Original stone or concrete foundations, slow-draining crawlspaces, and decades-old plumbing under bathrooms give them the cool, damp habitat they need year-round. We also see steady centipede sightings in Garden City and along the Boise River corridor where the water table sits high. Calls climb every fall once outdoor temperatures drop and centipedes follow their prey (silverfish, earwigs, small spiders) into warm interior walls. If you're seeing centipedes in a finished basement or master bathroom in October, there's almost always a moisture issue and a second pest problem feeding it.

Our Solution

How We Handle Centipedes

What our approach looks like

Centipede control focuses on habitat modification and crack/crevice treatment.

Our full approach

We point out moisture issues to fix, 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.

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How to Prevent Centipedes

Steps you can take to reduce the risk of infestation

  1. Reduce moisture and humidity indoors
  2. Fix leaky pipes and improve ventilation
  3. Seal cracks in foundation and around pipes
More prevention steps
  1. Remove debris and clutter from around home
  2. Reduce other insect populations (their food source)
  3. Use dehumidifiers in damp basements

Centipedes Questions Answered

Common questions about identification, prevention, and treatment

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Are centipedes dangerous?

Quick answerHouse 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?

Quick answerCentipedes 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?

Quick answerCentipedes 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.

Think You Have Centipedes?

Call and we'll talk through your options. We usually get out within 24 to 48 hours.

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