Centipedes are long, flattened arthropods with one pair of legs per body segment. There are around 8,000 species of centipedes worldwide, most of which live outdoors in damp areas such as under rocks, leaves and logs. However, it is also common for centipedes to find their way into houses, especially in warmer climates or during periods of heavy rain. So if you’ve spotted a fast-moving, worm-like creature with lots of legs scurrying across your floor, it was likely a centipede. But should you be concerned about having centipedes in your house? Are they dangerous or just a nuisance? Keep reading to learn more about these creepy-crawlies and whether they are common household pests.
What types of centipedes are found in houses?
There are a few species of centipede that are notorious for invading homes. These include:
- House centipede – This is the most common indoor centipede. House centipedes have long, flattened bodies with 15 pairs of very long, spindly legs. They can range in size from 1-2 inches long.
- Giant desert centipede – Despite the name, these centipedes can find their way into homes, especially in arid climates. They have a painful, venomous bite.
- Garden centipede – Smaller and slower than other home-invading centipedes, garden centipedes sometimes sneak inside through cracks and crevices.
The house centipede is by far the most common. Their size and speed can startle homeowners, but house centipedes are generally considered harmless to people.
Why are centipedes attracted to houses?
Centipedes are predator arthropods that hunt for smaller prey. There are a few key reasons why they may be lured inside your home:
- Moisture – Centipedes prefer moist, humid environments. They are attracted to bathrooms, basements, crawlspaces and other damp parts of a house.
- Prey availability – Centipedes eat smaller arthropods like insects, spiders and millipedes. If these prey items are abundant in or around a home, centipedes will follow the food source inside.
- Shelter – Centipedes seek out dark, concealed spaces to hide during the day. The many nooks in a home provide appealing shelter.
- Accidental entry – Sometimes centipedes wander inside a house by mistake while hunting outdoors at night.
By controlling moisture, sealing cracks and eliminating other pest populations, you can make a home less inviting to foraging centipedes.
What do centipedes eat?
Centipedes are carnivorous, meaning they eat other animals. Their diet consists mainly of:
- Insects – Flying insects like flies and moths are centipede favorites. They also eat ants, crickets, beetles and insect larvae.
- Spiders – Centipedes prey on spiders wandering in their path, including household pests like brown recluse spiders.
- Millipedes and centipedes – Larger centipede species will eat smaller centipedes and soft-bodied millipedes.
- Worms and snails – Occasionally centipedes supplement their diet with small worms and terrestrial snails.
- Small vertebrates – The largest tropical centipedes may eat small reptiles, amphibians or rodents.
This hungry and opportunistic diet is why centipedes can be helpful predators in the home – they eat many nuisance pests! However, house centipedes prefer to hunt live prey and won’t eliminate a cockroach infestation on their own.
Are centipedes dangerous to humans?
For the most part, centipedes are harmless to people. Here’s a breakdown of risks posed by common house centipedes:
- Bites – House centipedes can bite, but their forcipules (venom claws) usually cannot penetrate human skin. Bites mainly cause temporary pain and irritation.
- Stings – Larger centipedes like the giant desert centipede have posterior stinging legs that inject painful venom. But they rarely come in contact with people.
- Disease – Centipedes do not spread diseases to humans. They groom themselves constantly to prevent carrying bacteria.
- Poison – Centipedes are venomous to small prey but no species secrets toxins that are medically significant to humans.
So while an unexpected encounter with a fast centipede can be startling, they pose very little threat. The main concern is an allergic reaction to a sting or bite in sensitive individuals. Take normal precautions around these quick crawlers.
Signs of a centipede infestation
Centipedes are adept at hiding, so the only sign of an infestation may be an occasional centipede sighting. But heavily infested homes may display:
- Multiple centipedes spotted in a short time span
- Centipede egg clusters in damp corners – these look like soil clumps
- Molted exoskeletons after molting
- Dead prey items like insects or spider legs
- Damaged books or papers from centipede gnawing
If you observe signs like these combined with regular centipede sightings, speak to a pest control professional about treatment options. An infestation may point to favorable conditions inside the home for centipedes to thrive.
How to Get Rid of Centipedes
Here are some tips for controlling centipedes in your home:
Reduce Moisture
Since centipedes prefer damp conditions, moisture control is key. Fix any plumbing leaks, improve ventilation in bathrooms, clean out humidifiers and dehumidifiers, and ensure rainwater drains away from the foundation.
Seal Cracks and Crevices
Centipedes gain entry through the smallest cracks in walls, floors and foundations. Seal these access points with caulk or weather stripping to block centipedes outdoors. Pay attention to windows, doors, pipes and wiring holes.
Cut Off Food Supply
Eliminate other household pests like silverfish, spiders and cockroaches to remove centipede prey. Store all food securely and clean up crumbs. This encourages centipedes to look elsewhere for food.
Reduce Clutter
Get rid of stacks of firewood, compost, leaf litter, rocks and other debris near the home’s exterior. Centipedes use these items for shelter and breeding sites. Moving them farther away discourages centipede activity near the house.
Use Desiccant Dusts
Apply diatomaceous earth, silica gel or other desiccant dust products in centipede entry points and hiding spots. The abrasive dusts damage their exoskeletons, causing dehydration and death. Reapply after heavy rains.
Deploy Centipede Traps
For severe infestations, place sticky traps or funnel traps along walls or in damp crawlspaces where centipedes travel. Use traps combined with desiccant dusts to maximize control.
Apply Insecticide Sprays
Insecticide sprays containing bifenthrin or deltamethrin can safely knock down centipedes entering a home. Focus treatments along exterior walls, foundations, storage areas, basements and attics.
Call a Professional Exterminator
For persistent centipede populations, contact a qualified pest control company. Professionals have access to stronger insecticides and fumigants that can eradicate heavy infestations. They can also identify and modify conditions in a home that support centipede populations long-term.
Centipede Prevention Tips
Once you evict house centipedes, make your home less inviting to future invaders:
- Install door sweeps, screens and weather stripping to seal off pest entry points.
- Fix leaky faucets, pipes and humidifier outputs.
- Improve ventilation in damp areas like crawlspaces, basements and attics.
- Stack firewood and other items off the ground and far from the house.
- Remove piles of leaves, mulch and debris around the foundation.
- Maintain a vegetation-free zone of at least 2 feet around the exterior.
With diligent moisture control and sealing cracks and crevices, you can discourage centipedes and enjoy a pest-free home.
Conclusion
Centipedes frequently find their way into homes by accident while hunting for food and shelter outdoors. House centipedes in particular can become established residents in damp indoor spaces. While startling in appearance, centipedes pose very little danger to people and even provide pest control by preying on other insects. But heavy infestations still require treatment and prevention. By reducing moisture, sealing access points, removing clutter and deploying various control methods, homeowners can evict unwanted centipedes and reclaim a pest-free home interior. With vigilance and the right techniques, centipedes don’t need to become common household pests.