House Centipedes: Friend or Foe?

What Is That Bug With Lots of Long Legs That Runs Really Fast?

That's a house centipede. It has a long, slender body with 15 pairs of long legs on each side (30 legs total), plus a pair of long antennae — giving the impression of a frantic blur of legs racing across the floor. Many people call them "silverfish on stilts" or simply "those creepy fast things."

What House Centipedes Look Like

• Body is yellowish-brown to grayish-brown, slender and flattened, about 2-5 cm (0.8-2 inches) long
• A row of long legs on each side; the very last pair is especially long and looks almost like antennae
• With legs spread out, they appear much larger than they really are
• When they run, their legs move in a rippling wave — very fast, and they look panicked

Where Do They Like to Hang Out?

They prefer damp, dark places — bathrooms, basements, storage room corners, under bathroom sinks.

Are They Friendly?

They look alarming, with all those long, spindly legs, but they're actually timid. They bolt at the first sign of a person and won't attack. House centipedes are actually beneficial predators — they eat cockroaches, flies, spiders, silverfish, termites, and other more troublesome bugs. They're a kind of "beneficial insect." In theory, they can bite, but it's extremely rare and only happens if you grab and squeeze one. The venom is very weak — like a mild sting. If you spot one occasionally, you can leave it alone.