Centipede Extermination

Centipede Extermination in NYC

A fast, many-legged centipede darting across the bathroom floor is startling — but it is harmless, and it is usually telling you two things: your space is damp, and there are other insects here feeding it. New York Exterminating clears centipedes and fixes the conditions behind them. The work is led by an Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) licensed in structural pest control, so you get an accurate read on what the centipedes are really pointing to.

Centipede Control in NYC

House centipedes in NYC turn up in damp basements, bathrooms, and ground-floor apartments. A single centipede in your NYC apartment is harmless, but repeated sightings mean the moisture and prey insects that attract centipedes are already there. Getting rid of centipedes in New York means more than squashing the one you see: our ACE-led techs treat entry points, cut the humidity and small-insect food source centipedes hunt, and target the cracks where centipedes nest — so you stop finding centipedes in NYC for good.

Centipede or millipede? And what it means

The two get confused constantly, and the difference guides the fix. A centipede has one pair of legs per segment, long antennae, and moves fast — the common house centipede looks like a darting bottlebrush. A millipede has two pairs of legs per segment, a rounded body, moves slowly, and curls into a spiral when touched. Centipedes are predators; millipedes are scavengers of decaying matter. That distinction matters because a centipede in your home is hunting prey — silverfish, roach nymphs, spiders — so it is often a sign of a second pest problem worth addressing.

Centipedes in NYC homes

They thrive in exactly the damp, below-grade spaces our housing stock offers: brownstone and row-house cellars, basement apartments, ground-floor bathrooms, and the humid utility levels of older buildings. They enter through foundation cracks, gaps around pipes, and door sweeps, then settle wherever moisture and prey coincide. Because they follow both water and food, lasting control means drying the harborage and removing the insects sustaining them — not just treating the centipedes you happen to see.

Our process

1. Identify. We confirm centipede (vs. millipede) and assess the moisture and prey driving them.

2. Treat harborage. We treat the damp basement, bathroom, and perimeter zones where they hide.

3. Remove the food supply. We identify and treat the prey insects feeding them — often the real source.

4. Exclusion & moisture. We seal entry points and address the dampness so they do not return.

Related services: Millipede Control, Silverfish Control, and General Pest Control.

Quick answers

Is the inspection free?

Yes — we identify the pest, find the moisture and prey, and quote before any treatment.

Can you confirm from a photo?

Usually yes — the leg pattern and movement make centipedes easy to confirm from a clear photo.

Do you treat basements and ground-floor units?

Yes — the damp below-grade spaces where centipedes concentrate are exactly where we focus.

Centipede Control FAQs

Are house centipedes dangerous — do they bite?

Very rarely. House centipedes are predators of other insects and would rather flee than confront you; a bite is uncommon and, for most people, no worse than a minor bee sting. They are not aggressive, do not infest food, and carry no disease. They look alarming because they are fast and many-legged, but they are essentially harmless — the bigger story is what their presence tells you about other pests and moisture.

How do I tell a centipede from a millipede?

Count the legs per segment and watch how it moves. A centipede has one pair of legs per body segment, long antennae, and moves fast — the house centipede looks like a darting bottlebrush. A millipede has two pairs of legs per segment, a rounded body, moves slowly, and curls into a spiral when disturbed. Centipedes hunt; millipedes graze on decaying matter. We confirm which you have, because the moisture sources and treatment differ.

Why do I have centipedes in my home?

Two reasons together: moisture and prey. Centipedes need damp harborage — basements, cellars, bathrooms, and ground-floor rooms — and they follow the smaller insects they eat. A centipede problem is often a sign you also have silverfish, roaches, or other prey insects feeding them. We treat both the centipedes and the conditions and pests drawing them in.

Does seeing centipedes mean I have another pest problem?

Often, yes — and that is useful information. Centipedes eat silverfish, cockroach nymphs, spiders, and other small insects, so a steady centipede population usually means there is a food supply somewhere in the building. Part of our inspection is identifying what they are eating, because controlling the prey is one of the most effective ways to make your home unattractive to centipedes.

How do you get rid of centipedes for good?

By drying out the harborage and removing the prey, not just spraying the ones you see. We treat the damp basement, bathroom, and perimeter zones where they hide, address the moisture that sustains them, reduce the insects they feed on, and seal the gaps they use to enter. Treating conditions is what produces a lasting result.

Will I find them in my bed or bathroom?

The bathroom, yes — it is damp and attracts the insects they hunt, so sinks, tubs, and drains are common spots. Your bed, almost never; centipedes are not interested in people and do not nest in bedding. If something is in your bed, that points to a different pest, and we can identify it for you.

New York Exterminating, Inc.
1115 E 13th St, Brooklyn, NY 11230
ACE-Certified · Licensed in Structural & Food-Establishment Pest Control · Serving all five boroughs

Every job is led by an Associate Certified Entomologist. Meet Jorge Bedoya, ACE — the NYC Exterminator »