Not typically a household pest
House centipede
Scutigera coleoptrata
A fast, flattened arthropod up to about 1.5 inches long with 15 pairs of long, banded legs and long antennae. Despite its alarming look, it hunts other household pests — cockroaches, silverfish, termites, and bed bugs among them.
Visible identification features
- Body up to 1–1.5 in (25–38 mm) long, yellowish-grey with dark banding
- 15 pairs of very long legs — adults have visibly banded, feather-like leg fringe
- Extremely fast, darting runner; moves in short bursts rather than crawling steadily
- Long antennae plus shorter rear legs that can read as “tails”
- Prefers damp spots: basements, bathrooms, floor drains, and crawl spaces
Why it may be in your home
House centipedes live indoors year-round in damp areas and are most active at night. Because they prey on other arthropods, repeated sightings often mean there is a prey population — cockroaches, silverfish, or ants — worth addressing first.
Lookalikes
- Silverfish
Silverfish are wingless, teardrop-shaped insects with three tail bristles and no long legs; centipedes have dozens of obvious legs and a segmented, banded body.
- German cockroach
Cockroaches are oval and cockroach-shaped with six legs held under the body; centipedes are flattened with legs splaying out to the sides.
Next steps
- Reduce humidity: fix leaks, run a dehumidifier in basements, and ventilate bathrooms.
- Treat the prey, not just the predator: reducing roaches, silverfish, and ants removes the centipede’s food supply.
- Seal entry points around sill plates, floor drains, and foundation gaps.
- Sticky traps along baseboards monitor both centipedes and what they are hunting.
Sources
- House Centipede — University of Kentucky Entomology
- Centipedes — Penn State Extension
Updated 2026-09-03. Claims are limited to these sources.