The house centipede is fast, alarming-looking, and has a way of appearing at the worst moments — usually running across your bathroom wall at full speed. With up to 15 pairs of long legs and the ability to move in any direction instantly, they trigger a visceral reaction in most people. What makes them interesting from a pest control standpoint is what they tell you: centipedes eat other insects. A centipede problem in your Marshalltown home usually means a broader pest problem underneath it. Miller Pest Solutions finds both.

Signs of a Centipede Problem

  • Seeing centipedes in bathrooms, basements, crawl spaces, or laundry rooms — especially at night
  • Finding them in bathtubs or sinks (they come up from drain areas seeking moisture)
  • Multiple sightings over several weeks — suggests an established population, not a one-off
  • Presence of other insects (silverfish, spiders, flies, cockroaches) that centipedes are hunting
  • Damp conditions in basement or crawl space — centipedes won’t thrive in dry environments

Why Centipedes Are a Problem in Marshalltown Homes

House centipedes need moisture. In Marshalltown, basements and crawl spaces that hold humidity through Iowa’s warm, wet summers create ideal centipede habitat. They move in from outside through foundation gaps and utility penetrations, then establish themselves in any moist, dark area.

They’re predators — they hunt spiders, silverfish, cockroaches, flies, and other insects. If your home has a centipede population, it has a food source to support it. Often, addressing the centipede problem means addressing whatever else is living in the lower levels of your home.

Older Marshalltown homes with unfinished or semi-finished basements, stone foundations, or active crawl space moisture issues tend to see the most centipede activity.

Our Centipede Control Process

Centipede control requires addressing both the centipedes and the conditions — and prey insects — supporting them.

  • Moisture assessment — We identify the moisture conditions in your basement, crawl space, or bathrooms that are supporting centipede harborage. Dehumidification and ventilation recommendations follow.
  • Harborage area treatment — Residual insecticide applied to basement perimeters, crawl space walls, under sinks, and other dark, damp areas where centipedes live.
  • Broader pest assessment — We look for the insects centipedes are feeding on. Silverfish, spider, or cockroach activity in the same areas will be identified and addressed.
  • Entry point treatment — Foundation gaps, utility penetrations, and crawl space vents are treated and recommended for sealing to reduce centipede entry from outside.

Why Choose Miller Pest Solutions

Miller Pest Solutions has been protecting Iowa homes from pests since 2001. Joel Miller has worked in the pest control industry since 2007 and takes the diagnostic approach seriously — treating the symptom without addressing the cause doesn’t solve the problem. We’re NPMA members and QualityPro certified.

Get a Free Phone Bid Today

House centipedes showing up in your Marshalltown home? Call Miller Pest Solutions at (515) 329-8801 for a free phone bid. We’ll assess the full picture and give you honest pricing. Visit millerthekiller.com.