The first time most people see a house centipede, they assume it must be the most dangerous thing they’ve ever encountered in their home. Up to an inch and a half long with fifteen pairs of striped legs that radiate outward, the house centipede moves at startling speed and seems to appear and disappear instantly. They’re alarming, no question. But house centipedes aren’t the main problem — they’re a symptom of one. These predators feed on other insects. If you’ve got centipedes in your Waukee, IA home, you almost certainly have a broader pest issue in your basement or crawl space that they’re feeding on. Miller Pest Solutions addresses both.

Signs of a Centipede Problem

  • Live centipedes in bathrooms, basements, or utility areas — Especially common in bathtubs and sinks, where they get trapped after entering through drains or nearby cracks.
  • Sightings in crawl spaces or unfinished basements — High moisture environments are primary centipede habitat. Regular sightings suggest an established population.
  • Multiple sightings over time — One centipede might be an isolated incident. Repeated sightings across weeks or months indicate an active infestation.
  • Other pest activity — Finding other insects — silverfish, spiders, cockroaches, or flies — in the same areas is consistent with conditions that support centipede populations.
  • Excessive humidity — Condensation on basement walls, musty odors, and visible moisture are associated with the conditions centipedes require.

Why Centipedes Are Common in Waukee

House centipedes (Scutigera coleoptrata) are found throughout Iowa and are especially common in homes with humid basements and crawl spaces. Iowa’s warm, wet summers drive moisture into unfinished basements — particularly older homes that lack proper insulation, vapor barriers, or mechanical dehumidification. Relative humidity above 60% in basement areas is essentially an invitation for centipedes and the insects they prey on.

In Waukee, homes with older construction, dirt-floor crawl spaces, or basements with water intrusion issues are the most susceptible. Centipede populations tend to build over the summer months and remain active through fall and into winter in heated indoor spaces. Unlike many pests that come in from outside seasonally, house centipedes can maintain year-round breeding populations inside homes when conditions are right.

Our Centipede Control Process

Miller Pest Solutions takes a two-track approach to centipede problems. First, we treat current infested areas — harborage zones in basements, crawl spaces, utility rooms, and bathrooms — with residual insecticide applications targeting both centipedes and the prey insects sustaining them. This reduces the active population quickly.

Second, we address the conditions that allowed the infestation to establish. Moisture is almost always the root factor. We identify sources of excess humidity, point out any structural issues contributing to moisture intrusion, and recommend dehumidification where appropriate. We also treat for the broader pest population in affected areas — silverfish, cockroaches, spiders, and other centipede prey — which eliminates the food source that’s supporting them.

Entry point management matters too. Centipedes enter through ground-level gaps, cracks in foundation walls, and utility penetrations. We identify and recommend sealing these to reduce ongoing entry.

Why Choose Miller Pest Solutions

Miller Pest Solutions has been serving Waukee and central Iowa since 2001. Joel Miller has been in pest control since 2007. We’re QualityPro Certified and NPMA members. We give free phone bids — tell us what you’re seeing and we’ll tell you exactly what we’d recommend and what it costs before you book anything.

We look at the whole picture. A centipede problem is rarely just about centipedes.

Get a Free Phone Bid Today

Centipedes in your home mean conditions are right for a broader pest problem. Address it now. Call Miller Pest Solutions at (515) 329-8801 for a free phone bid. We serve Waukee and surrounding communities in central Iowa.

Visit millerthekiller.com to learn more.