The house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata, is a common arthropod known for its distinctive appearance. It features a yellowish-gray body, typically one to one and a half inches long, with three dark stripes. Its most noticeable feature is its numerous, extremely long legs, which can number up to 15 pairs. These lengthy appendages give the house centipede a rapid, scuttling movement.
Natural Origins and Outdoor Preferences
The house centipede originated in the Mediterranean region. From there, it has spread globally, establishing populations across Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia.
Outdoors, these centipedes prefer cool, damp, and dark environments that offer protection from dehydration and extreme cold. Typical outdoor habitats include areas under rocks, decaying logs, leaf litter, and in compost piles. They can also be found in mulched garden beds and the soil lining a home’s foundation, especially where it remains shaded and moist. These locations provide both the necessary humidity and an abundance of small insects for food.
Common Indoor Locations
House centipedes often seek refuge inside homes, particularly in damp and cool spots, often on lower levels of a building. Basements are a prime location due to their coolness, darkness, and higher humidity.
Other favored indoor spots include bathrooms, laundry rooms, and crawl spaces, where moisture is abundant. These arthropods can also be found in less disturbed areas like closets, attics, wall voids, and under floors. Their presence indoors often indicates the availability of suitable shelter and food sources.
Environmental Factors Attracting Them
House centipedes are attracted to high humidity and moisture because their respiratory system lacks a mechanism to prevent water loss, making them vulnerable to dry conditions. Sources of moisture such as leaky pipes, poor ventilation, or damp basements create an ideal habitat.
House centipedes also seek dark and sheltered spaces, as they are nocturnal. Cluttered areas, undisturbed corners, and cracks provide hiding spots. Food availability is also a key attractant; house centipedes are predators feeding on small insects and arthropods such as silverfish, spiders, cockroaches, and ants. Their presence often signals an existing pest problem.
Entry Points into Homes
House centipedes enter homes through various exterior openings. They can enter through cracks and crevices in foundations or walls. Gaps around windows and doors are common entry points.
Utility line openings, unsealed pipes, and floor drains provide entry routes. They often seek shelter indoors when outdoor conditions become too harsh. Once inside, they search for cool, damp spaces where prey is available.