No, house centipedes aren’t dangerous to people or pets in any practical sense. They almost never bite, their small fangs struggle to get through human skin, and when a bite does happen it usually causes brief pain and swelling similar to a mild bee sting. They don’t damage your home, food or clothes, and they eat silverfish, cockroaches, bed bugs and spiders.
They are startling, though. Here’s what you’re looking at, why they’re in your house, and how to see fewer of them.
What a house centipede looks like #
The house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) is the fast, many-legged creature that shoots across a bathroom floor or down a basement wall. Penn State Extension describes it as:
- Body: about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, dirty yellow with three dark stripes
- Legs: 15 pairs in adults, long and banded light and dark
- Overall span: three to four inches including legs and very long antennae
The long back legs can look like a second pair of antennae, which makes it hard to tell which end is the head. It moves in fast bursts and freezes, which adds to the unsettling effect.
Do house centipedes bite? #
Rarely. House centipedes have venom, which they use to subdue insects, and a pair of modified front legs (forcipules) that inject it. But those forcipules are small and have a hard time penetrating human skin. Bites generally only happen when someone grabs or presses on one, for example by rolling onto it in bed or picking it up.
A bite typically causes mild, localized pain and swelling comparable to a bee sting that fades within a day or so. Penn State simply calls them harmless.
When to get help after a bite #
Wash the area with soap and water and use a cold pack. As with any sting or bite, some people are more sensitive:
- Watch for hives spreading beyond the bite, swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or dizziness. Those are signs of an allergic reaction. Call 911.
- For questions about a bite or unusual symptoms, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 in the US. It’s free and confidential.
- See a doctor if the bite becomes more red, warm and painful over the next few days, which can mean infection.
Are house centipedes dangerous to pets? #
Not meaningfully. Cats and dogs often chase and catch them. A pet might get a small bite on the nose or mouth that causes brief discomfort, and eating a house centipede isn’t known to poison pets. If your pet shows facial swelling, vomiting or trouble breathing after any bug encounter, call your veterinarian.
Why are house centipedes in my house? #
House centipedes need two things: moisture and food. Penn State notes that they favor damp, dark places like the space under concrete slabs, inside cement block walls, and in floor drains without water traps. They come out at night to hunt.
Their food is other bugs. Penn State lists silverfish, firebrats, carpet beetle larvae, cockroaches and spiders as prey, and they also take bed bugs, termites and ants. So seeing house centipedes often means your home has both damp areas and a population of something else for them to eat.
They can live several years, which is why the same big one may seem to appear every few weeks.
Are house centipedes good to have around? #
In a way, yes. They’re some of the most effective natural predators of household pests, and they don’t damage anything themselves. Many entomologists suggest leaving an occasional one alone. That said, nobody is obligated to share a bedroom with one, and a lot of them is a signal worth acting on.
How to get rid of house centipedes #
Penn State’s approach has three parts, and the first two do most of the work.
1. Take away their food #
Deal with the bugs they’re hunting. Reduce silverfish and cockroaches with the moisture and sanitation fixes below, clear cardboard and paper clutter from basements, and check for carpet beetle larvae in closets and along baseboards. Fewer prey means fewer centipedes.
2. Make the house drier and seal it up #
- Run a dehumidifier in the basement and use bathroom exhaust fans.
- Fix leaks under sinks, around toilets and in the basement.
- Keep water in floor drain traps, or fit drain covers.
- Caulk cracks in foundations, around windows and where pipes enter.
- Screen sump pits and gaps around utility lines.
- Move mulch, leaf piles, firewood and stones away from the foundation outside.
3. Targeted treatment if needed #
For persistent problems, Penn State lists boric acid dusts, diatomaceous earth or pyrethroid insecticides applied into cracks, voids and the damp areas where centipedes hide. Always follow the label. Sticky traps along walls catch wandering centipedes and help show where they’re coming from. Spraying open floors does little.
House centipede vs millipede #
People sometimes confuse centipedes with millipedes, which also wander into basements.
| House centipede | Millipede | |
|---|---|---|
| Legs | One pair per body segment, very long | Two pairs per segment, short |
| Shape | Flattened, legs stick out sideways | Round, worm-like |
| Speed | Very fast | Slow |
| Defense | Runs, can bite | Curls into a coil, may release a smelly fluid |
| Food | Other bugs | Decaying leaves and plant material |
| Harmful? | No | No, though the fluid can stain skin |
Confirming what you saw #
If you catch one in a jar, a quick photo from above settles it. Insect Identity recognizes the house centipede and the garden millipede, along with the silverfish and cockroaches centipedes feed on, so you can check both the predator and its prey from photos. It works offline, keeps photos on your phone, and shows a best match with a confidence score and four runners-up. For a centipede that won’t hold still, a photo of it trapped under a clear glass works well. See what is this bug in my house and tiny bugs in the bathroom for the other damp-loving bugs you may find alongside it.
Frequently asked questions #
Can a house centipede hurt you? #
Only in the mildest sense. A bite, which is uncommon, feels like a bee sting and fades within a day or so. People with insect sting allergies should watch for any spreading reaction, but serious problems are rare.
Do house centipedes crawl on you in bed? #
It’s unusual. They hunt at night and may cross a bed while chasing prey, but they avoid people. Pulling the bed a few inches away from the wall and keeping bedding off the floor makes it less likely.
Is it bad to kill house centipedes? #
It isn’t harmful, but it’s usually unnecessary. They eat pests you’d rather not have. If you want them gone, reducing moisture and their food supply works better than killing individuals, because more will come if conditions stay the same.
Why do I see house centipedes in the bathtub? #
They wander in looking for moisture or prey and can’t climb back up the smooth sides. A centipede stuck in the tub doesn’t mean it came up the drain; it’s usually just trapped.