The house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata, is a unique arthropod commonly encountered in homes across the world. Its distinctive appearance, characterized by a yellowish-gray body and up to 15 pairs of exceptionally long, striped legs, often elicits a strong reaction from homeowners. This creature is one of the fastest arthropods, darting across floors and walls with speed. Originating in the Mediterranean, this species has successfully adapted to human dwellings, where it finds a consistent source of food and shelter. This article examines the house centipede’s role in the home, the actual risk it poses, and the most practical ways to manage its presence.
The House Centipede’s Pest Control Diet
The house centipede is an active, nocturnal carnivore, meaning its presence often signals an existing infestation of other household pests. It functions as a highly efficient, natural exterminator within the home’s ecosystem. Its diet is composed entirely of smaller arthropods, including many species considered significant household nuisances.
Specific prey includes insects like silverfish, which damage books and textiles, and the larvae of carpet beetles. Scutigera coleoptrata also preys on cockroaches, termites, and flies, actively hunting them down rather than relying on passive trapping methods. The centipede’s speed, which can reach up to 16 inches per second, makes it a formidable predator.
To capture prey, the centipede uses its highly developed antennae, sensitive to both smell and touch, to locate targets in dark environments. Once located, the centipede uses modified front legs, known as forcipules, to grasp the victim. These forcipules are equipped with venom glands, injecting venom to quickly subdue the prey.
The house centipede feeds on spiders and even bed bugs, making it an indiscriminate predator of nearly any small, soft-bodied creature it can overpower. By reducing the populations of these common household invaders, the centipede plays a beneficial, though often unseen, role in pest management.
Assessing the Threat of Bites and Venom
The unsettling appearance of the house centipede often leads to an overestimation of the danger it poses to humans and pets. These centipedes are venomous, but the venom is specifically adapted to quickly paralyze the small insects and arachnids they consume. They are extremely reluctant to bite larger animals, preferring to flee from perceived threats rather than confront them.
A bite from a house centipede is rare and typically only happens if the creature is handled directly or accidentally pressed against the skin. The centipede’s forcipules are generally not strong enough to pierce human skin easily, and even when a bite occurs, the injected venom is not considered medically significant to a healthy adult.
The sensation of a bite is most often described as similar to a mild bee sting, resulting in localized, short-term symptoms. These symptoms may include swelling, redness, and a brief period of pain or burning at the site of the bite. Discomfort usually fades within a few hours, and severe reactions are uncommon, typically only occurring in individuals with specific allergies to insect venom.
While larger species of centipedes found in other regions can deliver more painful bites, the common house centipede poses minimal biological risk. House centipedes do not transmit diseases, and their nocturnal, shy nature ensures that contact with humans remains infrequent.
Managing House Centipede Presence in the Home
For homeowners who choose to tolerate the presence of house centipedes, the benefit is a free form of natural pest control. Coexistence means allowing the centipedes to continue their work as predators, reducing the populations of more damaging pests like silverfish and cockroaches without the need for chemical treatments. They do not damage wood, fabric, or food stores.
If a homeowner prefers removal, the most effective long-term strategy focuses on environmental control rather than direct extermination. House centipedes are highly dependent on moisture, so reducing humidity levels in areas like basements, crawl spaces, and bathrooms makes the environment less hospitable. Running a dehumidifier and promptly fixing any leaky pipes or plumbing issues are practical steps to deter them.
Physical removal is a gentle, non-chemical option for dealing with an occasional sighting. The centipede can be easily captured by placing a cup over it and then carefully sliding a piece of stiff paper underneath to trap it. The captured centipede can then be released outdoors, well away from the foundation of the home.
The most sustainable way to manage the centipede population is to eliminate their food source by controlling the primary pests they feed on. Sealing cracks and crevices around the foundation and windows also helps to exclude centipedes and prevent their prey from entering the structure.