How to identify it
Work down these in order — the first one is usually enough on its own.
- One pair of legs per body segment — the decisive check against a millipede
- Flattened body, with the legs clearly visible out to the sides
- Long antennae, and a pair of modified front legs used to seize prey
- Very fast when disturbed
What it gets mistaken for
Most people arrive at a pest name by ruling things out. These are the ones that genuinely look similar, and the detail that separates them.
Where you will find it
- Damp basements, crawlspaces and garages
- Under stones, logs, mulch and leaf litter
- Bathrooms and ground-floor rooms at night
- Wherever the small insects they hunt are found
Signs it is already there
You will nearly always see the evidence before you see the pest itself.
- Fast-moving many-legged arthropods at floor level, usually after dark
- Sightings concentrated in the dampest part of the structure
Low. Nuisance rather than hazard.
Why it is harder to deal with than it looks
They follow their food. A centipede population that persists indoors means there is a steady supply of other insects and enough damp to support them, so the centipedes are the symptom rather than the problem.
What actually works
Reduce moisture — crawlspace ventilation, dehumidifiers, fixing leaks — and reduce the insects they hunt. Clear mulch, leaf litter and stored timber away from the foundation, and seal gaps at ground level.
Common questions
How do I tell a centipede from a millipede?
This is the one that matters. Millipedes have two pairs of legs per segment, a rounded body, move slowly and curl into a spiral when disturbed.
How do I tell a centipede from a earwig?
Earwigs have six legs and a pair of pincers at the rear, not dozens of legs.
Where are centipede usually found in a home?s
Damp basements, crawlspaces and garages Under stones, logs, mulch and leaf litter Bathrooms and ground-floor rooms at night.
Is a centipede dangerous?
Larger species can give a painful bite if handled, roughly comparable to a bee sting, but they are not aggressive and avoid people. They prey on other household pests.
Identification guidance only. Under Texas law, applying pest control treatments for hire requires a licence from the Texas Department of Agriculture. This page describes what a pest looks like — it is not a diagnosis of your property or a treatment recommendation for it.