Centipedes eat a variety of creepy crawlers, including ants, spiders, bed bugs, cockroaches, and silverfish; in fact, they will consume any arthropod nuisance. They are not poisonous or hazardous, so keeping them around poses no risk to your health. That being said, you don’t need to have dozens of them crawling around your house; they’re disgusting and unpleasant to look at. Instead, collect it in a jar and place it outside, ideally somewhere wet.

Where are centipedes found? Centipedes are typically found in dark, damp, and secluded environments such as basements, baths, closets, and other pest-infested regions. They are quick and agile, and they rarely spend time in the light (2). According to Penn State’s Department of Entomology (1), centipedes are thought to have originated in the Mediterranean region. Centipedes can also be found in the following places:

Under concrete slabs, centipedes can enter the house through expansion cracks, surrounding any apertures or other fractures in slabs. Inside cement block walls, centipedes can infiltrate through missing blocks and around pipes that flow through walls. In floor drains without water traps. Under and in cardboard boxes stored on slabs. How to Get Rid of the House Centipedes

If you notice a few in your home and wish to stop them, attempt to eliminate moisture and dampness in areas such as the basement or bathroom. Other strategies to control centipedes in your house include:  Set sticky traps to gauge population levels and find the primary reason. Keep leaves, wood, compost, and other organic items away from the sides of the home or building.

Overall, ensure that the moisture level in your home is not too high. If you believe you have an infestation, contact a pest control professional for further information. If you don’t bother the centipede, it won’t bother you, so leave that centipede in your basement to do its job.