Centipedes and millipedes are startling to find indoors but rarely dangerous — centipedes can deliver a minor bite if handled, millipedes just curl up and occasionally leave a stain. What makes them a real nuisance in Dallas is the way they invade in numbers, especially after heavy rain drives them out of the soil and toward the dry shelter of your home.
Why they invade DFW homes
Both are moisture-dependent creatures that live outdoors in mulch, leaf litter, under rocks and in damp soil. They push indoors for two reasons: after heavy rain when the ground is saturated, and during dry spells when they're seeking moisture. Either way, they enter low — through foundation gaps, door thresholds, weep holes and utility penetrations — and end up in bathrooms, garages, basements and other damp, ground-level spaces.
How we control them
Because they're an outside-in problem, the fix is largely exterior and moisture-focused. We apply a barrier treatment around the foundation and entry points, treat the harborage — mulch beds, leaf litter and damp zones against the house — and advise on the conditions that draw them: pulling mulch and vegetation back from the foundation, improving drainage so water doesn't pool near the house, and sealing the low entry points they use. Reduce the moisture and shelter, and the invasions stop.
Same conditions, same fixes
Centipedes and millipedes share the damp-loving profile of silverfish and sow bugs, so it's worth treating the moisture picture as a whole. Seeing them turn up indoors after every big rain? Book a free inspection and we'll seal the entry points and treat the perimeter.
Ready for a free inspection?
Tell us what you're seeing. A licensed technician identifies the pest and entry points and quotes an exact price — no obligation.