Are house centipedes dangerous?
No. They can bite if handled, but it's rare and minor. They're predators eating other bugs in the house, which is the real signal.
Silverfish and House Centipedes
Reviewed by William "Willy" Vizcarrondo, NYS Certified Pesticide Applicator (C1825832). Updated September 23, 2026.
Quick facts
Silverfish and house centipedes are the moisture pests of Long Island basements, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. Neither one bites in any way that matters, but both tell you the same thing: part of the house is damp enough to keep them alive, and the centipedes are there because other bugs are too.
| Size | Silverfish about 1/2 inch, up to 3/4 inch; house centipede 1 to 1 1/2 inches with 15 pairs of long legs |
|---|---|
| Color | Silverfish shiny silver or pearl gray; house centipede yellowish gray with dark stripes |
| Look-alikes | Firebrats (silverfish relatives that like heat, near furnaces), earwigs, millipedes (slow, round, harmless) |
| Where you'll find it | Basements, bathrooms, laundry rooms, under sinks, behind baseboards, in stored boxes and books |
| Active on Long Island | Year round indoors; most sightings in humid summer months |
| Danger level | Silverfish damage paper, books, wallpaper, and fabric; centipedes are harmless |
Long Island season
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Both are indoor pests year round, but Long Island's humid summers push basement moisture up and that's when they multiply and wander into living space.
How to identify it
A silverfish is a wingless, teardrop-shaped insect that tapers to three long tail bristles and moves in a quick wiggle across a bathroom floor or out of a stored box.
A house centipede is the fast, long-legged thing that shoots across the basement wall and stops people cold; it's not dangerous and it's hunting silverfish, spiders, and other insects. Millipedes are slow, round, and curl up; earwigs have pincers on the tail.
Signs you have them
- Silverfish in the tub or sink in the morning
- Irregular holes and yellow stains on paper, book bindings, wallpaper, and stored fabric
- Small pepper-like droppings in cabinets and boxes
- Centipedes on basement walls or in the bathtub
- Shed silverfish skins
Why it matters
Silverfish eat starch and glue: paper, book bindings, wallpaper paste, cardboard, and the sizing in clothing, plus cereals and pet food (UC IPM). They live about three years and thrive where humidity stays above 75 percent, which describes a lot of Long Island basements.
House centipedes don't damage anything, but a house with a steady centipede population has a steady insect population feeding them.
Can I handle it myself?
Mostly, because the fix is moisture. UC IPM's guidance is to keep basements, laundry rooms, and bathrooms clean and dry, run a dehumidifier, fix leaks and condensation, and seal the gaps around pipes.
Sticky traps show where they're coming from. Get boxes off basement floors and into plastic bins. Call when you've dried the space out and they're still there in numbers, or when you're finding them upstairs.
How Bobby Bugs treats it
We treat the cracks, voids, and harborage points where they hide and breed, and show you the moisture sources keeping them alive. General insect treatment covers silverfish, centipedes, earwigs, and crickets.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I have silverfish in my bathroom?
Humidity. Silverfish need damp, dark places, and a bathroom with poor ventilation or a slow leak under the sink is ideal. Dry it out and they leave.
Do silverfish damage anything?
Yes. Books, paper, wallpaper, photos, cardboard, and starched fabric, plus cereals and pet food. Stored boxes in a damp basement are where the damage usually shows.
Will a dehumidifier get rid of silverfish?
It's the single most effective step. Keeping basement humidity down makes the space unlivable for them. Combine it with sealing pipe gaps and getting cardboard off the floor.
Sources
Think you have silverfish or centipedes? Call (516) 509-6001 for a free written quote.