House Centipedes

Are House Centipedes Harmful?

House centipedes, scientifically known as Scutigera coleoptrata, are generally not considered harmful to humans. While they may appear unsettling due to their numerous legs and fast movements, these arthropods are actually beneficial in many ways:

• Venom and Bites: House centipedes possess venomous fangs, but their venom is not harmful to humans. They primarily use their venom to immobilize and consume their prey, which consists of insects like spiders, roaches, and silverfish.
• Predatory Nature: House centipedes are excellent natural pest controllers. They feed on a variety of household pests, helping to keep their populations in check. This makes them valuable allies in the battle against more troublesome insects.
• Non-Aggressive Behavior: House centipedes are not aggressive toward humans and do not seek to bite or sting. They are shy creatures and will typically avoid human contact if possible. If you do come across one, it's more likely to scurry away to avoid you.
• Limited Contact: House centipedes are predominantly nocturnal, which means they are active at night and tend to hide during the day. As a result, most people rarely encounter them.
• No Known Allergies or Diseases: Unlike some insects, house centipedes are not known to transmit diseases or allergens that could harm humans. Their presence in your home is more of a nuisance than a health risk.
• Moisture Seekers: House centipedes are often found in damp and humid areas of the house, such as basements, bathrooms, and crawl spaces. Their presence might be an indicator of excess moisture, but they themselves do not cause structural damage.

House centipedes are not dangerous to humans and can be considered beneficial due to their role in controlling other household pests. If you find them in your home and are uncomfortable with their presence, it's best to address the underlying moisture or pest issues that may be attracting them rather than trying to eliminate them, as they can help keep your home relatively pest-free.

House Centipede Removal

House centipedes tend to appear where moisture, darkness, and a steady supply of insects already exist, so their presence is often a strong indicator that a home has underlying issues that need attention. While they’re not the most harmful pests, they thrive in environments that can also support roaches, ants, silverfish, and other nuisance insects. When you start seeing them regularly, it usually means those other pests are active enough to sustain a predator—something most homeowners would prefer to address sooner rather than later.

They also create an immediate comfort problem. House centipedes move extremely fast, have a distinctive appearance, and tend to show up in bathrooms, basements, and bedrooms. Even if they don’t bite often, their sudden movement and size can be unsettling. For families with children, pets, or anyone with sensitivities, that constant “jump scare” factor can wear on daily life and make certain rooms feel unpleasant or unsanitary.

Another reason to act quickly is that they reproduce in hidden, damp areas where problems can escalate quietly. A growing population signals persistent moisture conditions—leaks, poor ventilation, or foundation humidity—that can eventually lead to mold, wood damage, and greater pest activity. Removing house centipedes pushes you to correct those environmental issues early, before they become expensive to fix.

Addressing them comprehensively doesn’t just resolve the centipedes themselves; it improves the overall health of the home. By eliminating their food supply, sealing entry points, and reducing moisture, you create a cleaner, drier, more pest-resistant environment. In the end, controlling house centipedes is important not because they are the worst pest, but because they highlight problems that, if ignored, can lead to truly serious infestations and structural concerns.

Learn more: How To Get Rid Of House Centipedes

House Centipede Control

Hiring our professional pest control for house centipedes is strongly recommended because while these centipedes may seem harmless, managing them effectively requires specialized knowledge, tools, and strategies. Here’s why our professionals are the best choice:

• Accurate Identification: House centipedes can be confused with other multi-legged pests, like millipedes or spiders. Our professionals can accurately identify the species, which is crucial because the treatment approach differs based on the pest. Misidentification can lead to ineffective control measures.
• Comprehensive Inspection: Our professionals don’t just treat visible centipedes—we inspect the entire property to find the source of the infestation. House centipedes thrive in damp, dark environments such as basements, crawl spaces, bathrooms, and under sinks. Locating breeding sites, moisture hotspots, and entry points allows for a more permanent solution.
• Targeted and Safe Treatments: While over-the-counter sprays and traps exist, they are often only partially effective. Our professionals have access to advanced treatments and baits that are highly targeted and safe for humans and pets when applied correctly. This reduces unnecessary chemical exposure and increases the chances of fully eliminating the infestation.
• Preventive Strategies: House centipedes indicate the presence of other pests, like spiders, silverfish, and roaches, which they prey on. Our professionals address the root causes by recommending structural repairs, moisture control, and pest-proofing measures, preventing future infestations rather than just reacting to the current one.
• Long-Term Cost Efficiency: DIY attempts can be temporary and may require repeated chemical use, which adds up over time. Our professional intervention often provides longer-lasting results, reducing repeated costs, potential property damage, and health risks associated with improper chemical application.
• Peace of Mind: Centipedes can move quickly and appear suddenly, causing anxiety for residents. Our professional control ensures the infestation is addressed systematically and reduces the risk of return, giving homeowners peace of mind.

House centipedes are a sign of an underlying pest or environmental issue. Our professionals don’t just kill the centipedes—we remove the conditions that allow them to thrive, delivering a safer, more effective, and long-term solution than DIY methods.

House Centipede Exterminators

When the problem is house centipedes specifically, our local exterminators almost always delivers better results because these centipedes closely tied to the unique moisture patterns, construction styles, and micro-climates found in each region. House centipedes don’t behave the same everywhere—humidity levels, seasonal temperature swings, common foundation designs, and the types of insects they feed on all vary from one area to another. Our local professionals already know these patterns, which allows us to pinpoint exactly why centipedes are thriving in your home rather than relying on broad, generic assumptions.

A national company typically follows standardized treatment protocols that may not fully address the local conditions driving the infestation. Our local exterminators, on the other hand, tailor our approach to your specific neighborhood and even your specific style of home—whether it has a damp basement, a crawlspace, slab construction, older plumbing lines, or nearby vegetation that routinely attracts moisture. That kind of precision matters, because long-term control of house centipedes depends on solving the moisture and secondary-pest issues that feed their population.

You also benefit from consistency. With our local team, the same technician is far more likely to return for follow-ups, monitor the progress, and adjust the plan as needed. That continuity helps catch subtle changes and patterns—like recurring damp spots, new insect activity, or structural gaps—that a rotating national-company technician may overlook. It creates a more reliable path to preventing centipedes from coming back.

Our local exterminators also tend to be faster and more flexible. When centipedes suddenly spike after heavy rain or seasonal humidity, our nearby exterminators can usually respond immediately, while national companies may route you through call centers and preset schedules. Because our local professionals aren’t constrained by corporate product lists and rigid procedures, we can choose the most effective combination of treatments, sealing tactics, and moisture-control solutions for your exact situation.

House centipede control isn’t just about eliminating what you see—it’s about understanding the very specific environmental factors that allow them to thrive. Our local exterminators bring the regional knowledge, responsiveness, and long-term consistency needed to eliminate them efficiently and prevent their return.

House Centipede Solutions

Our exterminators use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to control house centipedes because their presence indoors is typically a symptom of excess moisture and an available supply of other insects rather than an isolated problem. IPM begins with a detailed inspection to identify entry points, hiding areas, and conditions that support centipedes, such as damp basements, crawl spaces, bathrooms, and cracks along foundations. Management strategies focus on correcting these underlying issues through moisture reduction, improved ventilation, sealing gaps and crevices, and reducing clutter that provides shelter. Because house centipedes prey on other pests, IPM also targets the insects they feed on, removing the food source that allows populations to persist. Targeted insecticide treatments may be applied to specific areas only when necessary. Ongoing monitoring ensures long-term control and helps prevent recurrence. By addressing root causes and limiting chemical use, IPM delivers a sustainable, effective, and environmentally responsible solution for house centipede management.

What Do House Centipedes Look Like?

House centipedes (Scutigera coleoptrata) have distinctive physical characteristics that set them apart from other arthropods. Here is a detailed description of their appearance:

• Body: House centipedes have an elongated and flattened body, which is divided into numerous segments. The body can vary in length from about 1 to 1.5 inches, depending on their age and species.
• Legs: Perhaps the most striking feature of house centipedes is their many legs. They typically have 15 pairs of legs, which amounts to a total of 30 legs. The legs are long, slender, and thread-like, giving them a spindly appearance. The first pair of legs is noticeably longer than the others, which helps them capture prey.
• Coloration: House centipedes are often pale yellowish to grayish-brown in color. They may have dark stripes or bands running along the length of their body. Their legs are lighter in color compared to their body.
• Antennae: At the front of their body, house centipedes have a pair of long, segmented antennae that are used for sensory perception.
• Mandibles: House centipedes have large, prominent mandibles (jaws) equipped with venomous fangs. These fangs are used to capture and immobilize their prey.
• Eyes: They possess a cluster of simple eyes, known as ocelli, located on the sides of their head. While their vision is limited, these eyes help them detect light and movement.
• Segments: Their body is divided into numerous segments, and each segment bears a pair of legs. The rear segments of their body often have longer bristles.

House centipedes have a somewhat eerie appearance due to their numerous legs and elongated body.