How to Get Rid of House Centipedes, and Why You Shouldn’t Kill Them

House centipedes, with their many, many legs and tendency to appear out of nowhere, send shivers down the spine. Just thinking of all those feet scampering over your foot while you’re sweeping the basement might make you give up on sweeping altogether. I happened upon plenty of centipedes in my old, creaky Minnesota house, and my usual response was: “The basement’s fine!” as I headed back up the stairs.

They aren’t easy to catch, even if you want to. House centipedes travel sixteen inches per second, which is pretty darn fast for a little thing like that. Because they dart out when we least expect it and scurry away just as quickly, your first instinct (after panicking) may be to stomp wildly in their general direction. Hold off on that, at least for now. Ahead, two experienced entomologists unravel the mystery of house centipedes.

What Is a House Centipede?

A house centipede is a multi-legged predatory arthropod that eats many household pests like cockroaches, silverfish and termites. “They are commonly found in homes, apartments, and other human-built structures, but can also be found outside near human dwellings,” says Michael J. Skvarla, an assistant research professor of arthropod identification at Penn State University. Think: firewood and in damp spots around your foundation.

“Adults have 15 pairs of legs with dark bands,” and their bodies are “dirty yellow with long stripes,” says Shannon Harlow-Ellis, an associate certified entomologist with Mosquito Joe. Newly hatched house centipedes start with four pairs of legs, but “juveniles will increase the number of legs as they molt,” Harlow-Ellis adds. Thirty legs is a lot, but you’d be forgiven for thinking they have one hundred because the word centipede comes from the Latin words for “hundred” and “foot.”

Are House Centipedes Dangerous?

No, house centipedes aren’t dangerous. “They are fast movers with long legs and can be scary,” Harlow-Ellis says, but they’re only dangerous to bugs they like to eat.

Should You Kill House Centipedes?

No. There’s no need to kill the occasional house centipede — if you can even catch it. “They’re harmless and may even be beneficial indoors,” Skvarla says. House centipedes can even clue you into real pests in your home. “The presence of a single house centipede may not indicate anything, but the presence of many might indicate an underlying pest problem,” Skvarla says, because “the abundant centipedes are feeding on the abundant pests.”

The bottom line is that “house centipedes are not harmful to humans,” Harlow-Ellis says.

How to Get Rid of House Centipedes

If you have many house centipedes, “the best control is to eliminate the underlying pest population that is supporting the centipedes,” Skvarla says. Sometimes it’s difficult to figure out what pests you have, so the Penn State University extension, where Skvarla works, recommends setting out glue traps. If you’re unsure what you find in the trap, ask your local extension for help.

To kill centipedes directly, use boric acid, diatomaceous earth or insecticides, which will also kill many common pests. You should consider calling a pro for major infestations of cockroaches and termites.

How to Prevent House Centipedes

“Exclusion is always a great option, making sure all of the cracks and crevices are sealed up,” Harlow-Ellis says. “Doors should have proper door sweeps with no ‘light gaps,’ and windows should be sealed and screened if left open.” Penetrations into your home’s siding, like pipes and cables, should be sealed with caulk or foam. If you also have a rodent problem, Harlow-Ellis says to use steel wool instead.

Keep moisture under control. “Most pests come from the outside in, and eliminating moisture habitats will help with everything from house centipedes to mosquitoes,” Harlow-Ellis says. Fix leaks, keep crawl spaces clean and well-ventilated and use dehumidifiers in basements. Grade the dirt around your house to keep water from pooling against your foundation.

FAQ

Is a house centipede an insect?

No, house centipedes aren’t insects. Centipedes are arthropods, which is a broad category (“phylum”) of biological classification that also includes insects, but they are not insects themselves. Within the arthropod phylum, centipedes are in a class called “Chilopoda,” while insects are in the class “Insecta.”

What do house centipedes eat?

“House centipedes feed on silverfish, firebrats, carpet beetle larvae, cockroaches, spiders and other small arthropods,” Harlow-Ellis says.

Do house centipedes bite?

They can, but it’s rare. “House centipedes rarely bite, even when grabbed or molested,” Skvarla says. If they do try, their “forcipules,” which are the first pair of legs that deliver venom to prey, aren’t usually strong enough to pierce human skin.

Are house centipedes poisonous?

No, house centipedes aren’t poisonous, but they do have venom, “which can be painful if a bite pierces the skin,” Harlow-Ellis says. “When bites do occur, it’s generally similar to a bee sting,” Skvarla adds.

About the Experts

• Michael Skvarla, Ph.D., is an assistant research professor of arthropod identification in the Department of Entomology at Penn State University. Skvarla runs the Insect Identification Laboratory at Penn State, where he identifies insects and other arthropods submitted by the public.
• Shannon Harlow-Ellis is an associate certified entomologist and technical services manager at Mosquito Joe. A longtime bug enthusiast, Harlow-Ellis serves on numerous boards and was a recipient of a 2023 Impact Award for Women in Pest Management by the National Pest Management Association.

Sources

Penn State University Extension: House Centipedes