How to Identify and Get Rid of House Centipedes

Have you ever turned on the bathroom light in the middle of the night to find a multi-legged creature scurrying across your floor? If it made you jump, you’re not alone. House centipedes, with their numerous legs and swift movements, can be startling visitors in your home. While they’re generally beneficial because they eat other pests, many homeowners prefer to keep these arthropods out of their living spaces.

This comprehensive guide will help you identify house centipedes, understand their habits, and implement effective methods to control and prevent infestations in your home.

What Are House Centipedes?

House centipedes (Scutigera coleoptrata) are arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda. Unlike their outdoor relatives, house centipedes have adapted to living exclusively in human dwellings. Originally from the Mediterranean region, they’ve spread throughout the United States and can now be found in homes across the country.

Identifying House Centipedes

Before you can effectively control these creatures, you need to know what you’re dealing with. House centipedes have several distinctive features that set them apart from other household pests:

Body Structure: Yellowish-gray with three dark longitudinal stripes
Size: Adults typically measure 1-1.5 inches in body length
Legs: 15 pairs of long, thread-like legs that can span up to 3-4 inches
Antennae: Long and sensitive, extending from the head
Movement: Extremely fast, capable of darting across surfaces at high speeds

House centipedes are often confused with millipedes or silverfish, but their distinctive leg arrangement and movement patterns make them uniquely identifiable. Unlike millipedes, which have two pairs of legs per body segment and move relatively slowly, house centipedes have one pair per segment and move with remarkable speed.

Life Cycle and Habits

Understanding the life cycle and behavior of house centipedes can help you develop more effective control strategies:

Lifespan: House centipedes can live for up to 7 years
Reproduction: Females lay 35-150 eggs per year
Development: They go through about 5-6 molts before reaching adulthood
Habitat: They prefer dark, damp areas like basements, bathrooms, and crawl spaces
Activity: Primarily nocturnal, hunting at night and hiding during the day
Diet: Predatory insects that feed on spiders, bed bugs, termites, cockroaches, silverfish, and other household pests

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), house centipedes are actually considered beneficial in some contexts as they help control other pest populations in your home.

Why You Might Want to Get Rid of House Centipedes

Despite their beneficial role as natural pest controllers, there are several reasons you might want to remove house centipedes from your home:

Fear and Discomfort: Many people find the appearance of centipedes disturbing
Painful Bites: Though rare, house centipedes can bite when handled, which may cause mild pain and swelling
Indication of Other Pests: Their presence often signals that other pests are in your home
Indication of Moisture Issues: They typically inhabit damp areas, which might point to moisture problems in your home

Prevention: Keeping House Centipedes Out

The most effective approach to house centipede control is prevention. By making your home less hospitable to these creatures, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of encountering them.

Reduce Moisture and Humidity

House centipedes require damp environments to survive. Eliminating excess moisture in your home can make it less attractive to them:

Install dehumidifiers in basements, crawl spaces, and other damp areas
Fix leaking pipes, faucets, and water fixtures promptly
Ensure proper ventilation in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms
Use exhaust fans when showering or cooking to reduce humidity
Consider applying waterproof sealants in basements or crawl spaces

Eliminate Food Sources

Remember that house centipedes feed on other insects. Reducing the population of these prey insects will make your home less appealing to centipedes:

Regularly clean your home to eliminate food debris that attracts other pests
Store food in airtight containers
Take out garbage regularly
Address any existing pest problems (spiders, ants, cockroaches, etc.)

Seal Entry Points

House centipedes can squeeze through incredibly small openings. Sealing potential entry points can help keep them out:

Caulk cracks and crevices in foundations, walls, and around windows and doors
Install weather stripping around doors and windows
Seal gaps around pipes and utility lines
Repair or replace damaged window screens
Install door sweeps on exterior doors

Reduce Clutter and Hiding Places

House centipedes prefer dark, secluded spaces. Minimizing these hiding spots can discourage them:

Declutter storage areas, especially in basements and garages
Keep firewood elevated and away from your home’s foundation
Avoid storing cardboard boxes directly on basement floors
Regularly rotate stored items to disturb potential hiding places

Methods to Get Rid of House Centipedes

If prevention measures haven’t worked and you’re dealing with house centipedes in your home, there are several control methods you can employ, ranging from natural remedies to chemical treatments.

Natural and Non-Toxic Methods

These approaches are environmentally friendly and safe for households with children and pets:

Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

Diatomaceous earth is a natural powder made from fossilized diatoms that damages the exoskeletons of insects and arthropods, causing them to dehydrate and die:

Sprinkle food-grade DE in areas where centipedes are commonly seen
Apply in thin layers along baseboards, in cracks, and around entry points
Reapply after cleaning or if the area becomes wet

Sticky Traps

These can be effective for monitoring and catching house centipedes:

Place sticky traps along walls, in corners, and near entry points
Check and replace traps regularly
Use these traps to identify high-activity areas

Essential Oils

Certain essential oils have been found to repel house centipedes:

Tea tree oil
Peppermint oil
Eucalyptus oil
Citrus oils

Mix 15-20 drops of essential oil with water in a spray bottle and apply to entry points, baseboards, and corners where centipedes might enter or hide.

Chemical Control Methods

If natural methods aren’t providing sufficient control, you might consider chemical options:

Insecticidal Sprays

Apply residual insecticide sprays around the perimeter of your home
Focus on entry points, baseboards, and dark corners
Always follow label instructions carefully

Insecticidal Dusts

Apply dusts in wall voids, cracks, and crevices
These provide long-lasting protection in areas that are difficult to reach
Examples include boric acid powder and synthetic pyrethroids

Professional Pest Control

For severe infestations, professional pest control services may be necessary:

Professionals can identify entry points and harborage areas
They have access to more potent formulations and application methods
They can develop a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your home

Comparison of House Centipede Control Methods

When deciding on the best approach for your situation, consider the following comparison of different control methods:

Control Method	Effectiveness	Safety for Pets/Children	Environmental Impact	Duration of Effect	Cost
Moisture Control	High	Very Safe	None	Long-term	Moderate
Diatomaceous Earth	Moderate	Safe when used properly	Low	1-2 months if dry	Low
Essential Oils	Low-Moderate	Varies by oil	Low	3-7 days	Low
Sticky Traps	Low	Safe unless accessible	Low	Until full	Very Low
Insecticidal Sprays	High	Use caution	Moderate	1-3 months	Moderate
Insecticidal Dusts	High	Use caution	Moderate	6-12 months	Moderate
Professional Treatment	Very High	Varies by method	Varies by method	3-6 months	High

When to Call a Professional

While many house centipede situations can be handled with DIY methods, there are times when professional intervention is warranted:

If you have a severe or persistent infestation
If centipedes return despite your best efforts
If you’re unable to identify and address the underlying moisture issues
If you have a large home with multiple entry points or complex structural features
If you’re concerned about using pesticides safely

Common Questions About House Centipedes

Are House Centipedes Dangerous?

House centipedes possess venom that they use to subdue their prey, delivered through modified front legs called forcipules. However, they rarely bite humans, and when they do, the reaction is usually mild—similar to a bee sting. They’re not considered dangerous to humans or pets.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), house centipedes are not known to transmit any diseases to humans.

Do House Centipedes Damage Property?

Unlike termites or carpenter ants, house centipedes do not cause structural damage to your home. They don’t eat wood, fabric, or other household materials. Their diet consists exclusively of other small insects and arthropods.

Should I Kill Every House Centipede I See?

This is a personal decision. House centipedes are beneficial in that they consume other household pests like cockroaches, silverfish, and spiders. If you can tolerate their presence, they can actually help control other pest populations in your home. Many entomologists recommend capturing and releasing them outdoors rather than killing them.

How Fast Do House Centipedes Reproduce?

House centipedes have a relatively slow reproductive rate compared to many other household pests. A female typically lays 35-150 eggs per year, and development from egg to adult can take several months. This slower reproduction rate means that controlling house centipedes is generally more manageable than controlling fast-breeding pests like cockroaches or flies.

Maintaining a Centipede-Free Home

Once you’ve successfully addressed a house centipede problem, maintaining those results requires ongoing vigilance:

Regular Cleaning: Vacuum and dust regularly, paying special attention to dark corners, baseboards, and under furniture
Moisture Control: Continue monitoring and controlling moisture levels in your home
Seasonal Inspections: Check for and seal new cracks or gaps that might develop, especially after seasonal changes
Landscape Management: Keep vegetation trimmed away from your home’s foundation and eliminate debris near the house
Consistent Monitoring: Place a few sticky traps in problem areas to monitor for new activity

Conclusion

While house centipedes might give you a momentary fright, understanding these creatures is the first step toward effectively managing them in your home. By implementing the prevention and control methods outlined in this guide, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of encounters with these many-legged visitors.

Remember that a multi-faceted approach—addressing moisture issues, sealing entry points, eliminating food sources, and using appropriate control methods—will yield the best results. With persistence and the right techniques, you can maintain a comfortable, centipede-free living environment for you and your family.

For more information on integrated pest management strategies, visit the EPA’s Integrated Pest Management Principles page.

How to Identify and Get Rid of House Centipedes