Why You Keep Finding Centipedes, Earwigs, and Millipedes in Your Louisiana Home
Most homeowners aren't thrilled to find centipedes scurrying across their bathroom floors, earwigs lurking in the laundry room, or millipedes appearing in other damp areas of the home. When these pests keep showing up, it's natural to wonder what's attracting them.
At Anti-Pest, we hear about these pests all the time from homeowners in Shreveport, Bossier City, Blanchard, Keithville, and communities throughout Northwest Louisiana. And while centipedes, earwigs, and millipedes are very different pests, they often have one thing in common.
They're usually finding what they need somewhere around the property before they ever make it inside.
Most of the time, that's moisture.
The bathroom, laundry room, or garage where you spot these pests is often the final stop—not where the problem starts. More often, we're finding damp mulch beds, clogged gutters, poor drainage, leaky outdoor faucets, thick landscaping, or other moisture-holding areas around the home's exterior.
Once those conditions develop around the foundation, it's not unusual for moisture-loving pests to start showing up in garages, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and other areas of the home.
All three of these pests are covered under Anti-Pest's Pest Plan. But before we get into how we handle them, it helps to understand why they're showing up in the first place.
What Attracts Centipedes, Earwigs, and Millipedes?
Centipedes, earwigs, and millipedes may look and behave differently, but they all depend on moisture to survive.
That's why we often find them around the same homes and in many of the same areas around a property.
When moisture builds up around a home's exterior, it creates ideal conditions for these pests to live, feed, and hide. We often find them around shaded foundation beds, damp mulch, crawl space openings, and other areas that stay moist long after the rest of the yard has dried out.
Centipedes are hunters that feed on other insects. Earwigs are attracted to damp hiding places and decaying plant material. Millipedes feed on organic matter that breaks down in moist environments.
Different pests. Same underlying issue: moisture.
Where Is the Moisture Coming From?
When Anti-Pest technicians inspect homes for pest problems, we're not just looking for the bug. We're looking for what attracted it in the first place.
Some of the most common conditions we find around Northwest Louisiana homes include:
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Clogged or overflowing gutters
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Downspouts that discharge water near the foundation
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Mulch beds stacked too deeply against exterior walls
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Dense landscaping that traps moisture and shade
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Leaky spigots, hose connections, or irrigation lines
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Crawl spaces with excess moisture
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Leaf litter and yard debris
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Wood piles stored against the home
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Low areas where water collects after rain
Individually, these conditions may not seem like a big deal. Together, they can create exactly the kind of environment moisture pests are looking for. At Anti-Pest, it's common for us to find several of these conditions around the same property when homeowners are dealing with recurring centipede, earwig, or millipede activity.
Centipedes, Earwigs, and Millipedes Are Not Dangerous
For most homeowners, these pests are more of a nuisance than a danger.
House centipedes can bite, but it's uncommon and usually results in only minor discomfort. Earwigs can pinch with their forceps-like pincers, but they aren't dangerous and cannot break skin in most situations. Millipedes don't bite at all.
The bigger concern is what their presence may be telling you.
If moisture pests keep showing up indoors, it often means:
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Moisture conditions around the property are favorable for pests
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Other insects may already be active around the home
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Small entry points are allowing pests to get inside
In other words, the centipede in the bathroom may not be the entire problem. It may be a sign that conditions around the home are encouraging pest activity.
Why Getting Rid of Them One at a Time Doesn't Work
Many homeowners don't think much about finding a single centipede, earwig, or millipede indoors.
But when they keep showing up, the question changes from "What is that?" to "Why do I keep seeing these things?"
The answer is usually the same: the conditions attracting them haven't changed.
If moisture is still building up around the property and pests still have an easy way inside, it's not unusual to keep seeing them.
Millipedes are especially known for this. During certain periods, homeowners may find dozens of them around garages, patios, entryways, and foundations.
Earwigs and centipedes can be just as persistent when moisture remains available and entry points allow them to get inside.
That's why long-term control isn't about reacting to individual pests. It's about creating a protective barrier around the home to keep insects out.
How Anti-Pest's Pest Plan Handles Moisture Pests
Centipedes, earwigs, and millipedes are all covered under Anti-Pest's Pest Plan. They're included alongside ants, cockroaches, spiders, rodents, and more than 20 other common pests found around Northwest Louisiana homes.
When you sign up for our residential pest control service, we'll start with a thorough inspection of your home and yard to identify pest activity, entry points, and conditions that may be contributing to the problem.
After that, we'll come back out every quarter to treat around the outside of the house to create a perimeter of protection. We'll also knock down spider webs and treat fire ant mounds within 50 feet of the structure. If you notice a pest problem inside, we'll take care of that, too.
And with our Pest-Free Guarantee, if covered pests show up between scheduled visits, we'll return at no additional charge.
Frequently Asked Questions About Moisture Pests
Why do I keep finding centipedes in my bathroom?
Bathrooms provide moisture, darkness, and access to small insects that centipedes feed on. They often enter through gaps around plumbing or other openings near floor level.
Why do I see more millipedes after heavy rain?
Millipedes live in moist outdoor environments. When the ground becomes overly saturated, they may move toward homes, garages, patios, and other structures.
Why do I see more earwigs after it rains?
Earwigs thrive in damp environments. After rain, they often leave saturated hiding spots and move closer to homes looking for shelter.
Can earwigs damage my garden?
Yes. Earwigs sometimes feed on seedlings, flowers, soft leaves, and ripening fruits. Large populations can become a nuisance in gardens and landscape beds.
What time of year are centipedes, earwigs, and millipedes most active in Louisiana?
They're most active from spring through fall, but Louisiana's mild climate means homeowners can encounter them year-round.
Will a dehumidifier get rid of these pests?
Reducing indoor humidity can help, but most moisture pests originate outdoors. Addressing exterior moisture issues and maintaining a professional perimeter treatment are usually more effective long-term solutions.
Stop Moisture Pests From Taking Over Your Home
If centipedes, earwigs, or millipedes are showing up in your home, you don't have to put up with them.
Our team knows where moisture pests hide because we've been helping homeowners in Shreveport, Bossier City, and across Northwest Louisiana deal with them since 1950. Whether they're showing up in bathrooms, laundry rooms, garages, or crawl spaces, we know where to look and how to help keep them from coming back.
Contact Anti-Pest today to schedule an inspection and learn more about our Pest Plan.
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