Never ever kill a house centipede again. I had no idea. Check the comments👇

We get it—seeing something long, fast, and wriggling across your bathroom floor at midnight is enough to make anyone reach for a shoe. The house centipede, with its many legs and lightning-quick movements, looks like a creature straight out of a horror movie.

But before you squash it, take a moment to reconsider. You might be killing one of your home’s best natural pest controllers.

House centipedes are most commonly found in dark, damp spaces like bathrooms, basements, and closets. And while they may look creepy, they’re actually doing you a favor. These little hunters feed on some of the worst household pests—cockroaches, spiders, ants, termites, and even bedbugs. Their speed and agility make them excellent at catching other insects you definitely don’t want around.

So instead of reaching for the nearest slipper, remember: that unsettling visitor is working overtime to keep your home pest-free. Let it live—and let it hunt.

House centipedes don’t just snack on the occasional bug—they have a voracious appetite. That means they’re not just passing through; they’re actively working to reduce populations of unwanted pests like cockroaches, spiders, ants, termites, and even bedbugs. In many ways, they’re nature’s own pest control service—efficient, low-maintenance, and always on duty.

Still, we get it: not everyone wants a creepy crawler as a roommate.

If you’d rather part ways with your centipede, there are humane and effective ways to do so. Start by lowering the humidity in your home—centipedes love moisture, so drying out damp areas like basements, bathrooms, and under-sink spaces can make your home less inviting. If you do encounter one, you can gently trap it under a glass and release it outdoors, away from your living space.

Whether you choose to keep it around or show it the door, now you know: the house centipede is more friend than foe.

If you choose to relocate a house centipede, do it with care. Releasing it into a shaded area with moist soil or rocks gives it the best chance to thrive—and continue doing what it does best: controlling pest populations naturally.

And here’s a reassuring fact—despite their intimidating appearance, house centipedes are harmless to humans. Unlike some of their more dangerous relatives, they can’t even pierce human skin. The small amount of venom they carry is only strong enough to paralyze the tiny pests they hunt, not you.

So the next time you cross paths with one, remember: it’s not a monster—it’s a mini exterminator doing its part to keep your home bug-free.

prey that they are so useful for eliminating.

Will you still kill centipedes if you find one in your home? Let us know why in the comments! Share this with your friends and family so they know what to do in such a situation as well.