Silverfish, centipedes and earwigs: what you found in the bathtub
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By John Stopka, Co-Founder & CEO · Reviewed by John Stopka
Three very different creatures turn up in bathtubs, sinks and basements at night, and people mix them up constantly: silverfish, house centipedes and earwigs. Telling them apart is the first job, because none of them is quite what people fear it is. The second thing worth knowing is what they share — all three are tied to damp — so finding one indoors is information about conditions in your home rather than a verdict on your housekeeping.
What is the bug in my bathtub or sink?
Start with the shape: each has one you can name from the doorway.
A silverfish is a wingless insect with a "flat, carrot-shaped" body [2] — silver-gray, tapering to fine bristles at the tail, wriggling rather than marching.
A house centipede is the one with the legs: about an inch long, with "grayish-brown to yellowish-brown bodies, three dark bands running down their bodies" and "up to 15 pairs of spindly banded legs" [1]. It is "the only species of centipede that can survive inside of structures" [1], so the long-legged sprinter on the bathroom wall is almost certainly that one.
An earwig is "dark, reddish-brown" and "easily identified by the pincer-like projections on the tip of the abdomen, called forceps" [3] — the pincers being the entire reason earwigs unsettle people.
Why do I keep finding silverfish in the bathroom?
Because the bathroom is usually the dampest room you own.
Silverfish "prefer damp and cool places, such as basements, attics, garages, laundry rooms, closets, and storage areas with boxes and/or books" [2], and they eat starch — "starchy substances like cotton, linen, silk, wallpaper, and glues used in book-bindings and cardboard boxes" [2]. The bathroom supplies the humidity; a cupboard of towels, boxes or paperbacks supplies dinner.
The National Pesticide Information Center states the diagnosis in one line: "The presence of silverfish or firebrats indicates too much moisture in the area" [2]. A silverfish is a humidity reading with legs.
Are house centipedes dangerous?
Not seriously, no.
House centipedes "pose a minimal bite hazard as their forcipules are so small, that it is difficult for them to successfully pierce human skin" [1].
Handling a larger centipede is a different matter. University of Kentucky entomologists write that centipedes "can inflict painful bites on humans when handled", adding that "this bite is unlikely to cause serious harm, especially from smaller centipede species" [1]. Illinois Extension is blunter — "If threatened, they may bite" [5] — so do not pick one up.
Earwigs are milder still: they "are not poisonous and generally will not bite or sting humans", though "they may pinch the skin with their forceps" [3].
If a bite or a pinch concerns you, contact a healthcare provider.
Do earwigs crawl into your ears?
Not in the way the folklore says. The name is the origin of the story: it "is thought to derive from an Old English word 'earwicg' that means 'ear creature' or 'ear beetle'" [4]. University of Kentucky's Jonathan Larson addresses the superstition directly, writing that "there have been instances where earwigs have been found in human ears, but they don't appear to seek them out for shelter, nor have they ever actually been recorded to consume brains" [4].
Earwigs are "most active at night and seek shelter during day" [3], which is why you meet one in the bathroom in the morning.
Does finding one mean my house is dirty?
No. It means something is damp, which is a different problem with a different fix.
None of the three is a filth pest. Centipedes and millipedes are "associated with damp, moist areas, found under rocks, leaf litter or mulch, or in the soil" [1]; earwigs "frequently enter the house and are often found in the basement or crawlspace" [3] from mulch outside; silverfish follow humidity and starch [2].
Most of what wanders in does not last: "Most millipedes and centipedes will die shortly after entering a structure due to the lack of moisture" [1]. An occasional one in the tub is traffic. A steady supply means conditions indoors are keeping them comfortable.
The damage is limited, too. Centipedes leave the house and its contents alone — "Stored food and other items in the home are not damaged" [5]. Silverfish are the exception: paper, glue and fabric are food to them [2].
What actually reduces them?
Drying first, then sealing.
NPIC's moisture list is short: "Repair leaking pipes, seeps, and eliminate standing water. Use fans to ventilate closed rooms, basements, and attics. Consider using a dehumidifier" [2].
Outside, the damp belt around the foundation feeds the traffic: "Moisture-collecting areas around a structure's foundation can often be resolved by removing or reducing mulch, woodpiles, or paving stones close to the home" [1]. Illinois Extension's earwig advice is the same — clear leaf litter, stones and mulch from the foundation, and keep shrubs trimmed [3]. Sealing gaps and cracks with caulk then closes the routes [1].
If the damp comes from under the house rather than the shower, that is a larger job than a bathroom fan — crawl space moisture is its own subject.
How does Liberty treat silverfish, centipedes and earwigs?
Silverfish, centipedes and earwigs are all covered by every Liberty pest control plan, so they are handled on the regular visits rather than quoted as a separate job.
Your Service Specialist applies a perimeter barrier around your home's foundation for crawling insects, to help keep centipedes from getting in.
They add granules in the landscape areas, where earwigs hide in mulch, leaf litter and flower beds.
The moisture side is part of the visit. They point out damp spots and leaks that draw silverfish and share tips to keep those rooms drier.
When to call a professional
Call when you are finding them steadily rather than occasionally, when they keep appearing after you have dried the obvious damp, or when you cannot find the moisture source.
An inspection settles what you have, where it is coming in and what is keeping it comfortable. All three are covered on a pest control plan, so treatment runs alongside the moisture advice rather than instead of it.
Common questions
What is the bug in my bathtub with lots of legs?
Almost certainly a house centipede: about an inch long, grayish-brown to yellowish-brown with three dark bands and up to 15 pairs of banded legs, and the only centipede that survives indoors [1].
Do earwigs really crawl into people's ears?
Earwigs have been found in human ears, but they do not appear to seek them out for shelter, and there is no record of them consuming brains [4]. The name comes from an Old English word meaning "ear creature" or "ear beetle" [4].
Does finding silverfish mean my house is dirty?
No. The presence of silverfish or firebrats indicates too much moisture in the area [2]. It is a humidity problem rather than a housekeeping one, which is why drying the room does more than cleaning it.
Do pest control plans cover silverfish, centipedes and earwigs?
Yes. All three are covered by every Liberty pest control plan, so they are treated on the regular visits along with the other plan pests.
Sources
- University of Kentucky Entomology. Johnalyn Gordon, Jonathan L. Larson and Zach DeVries. "Centipedes & Millipedes in & Around the Home" (ENTFACT-645). https://entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef645 (opens in a new tab)
- National Pesticide Information Center. "Silverfish and Firebrats". https://npic.orst.edu/pest/silverfish.html (opens in a new tab)
- University of Illinois Extension. "Earwig". https://extension.illinois.edu/insects/earwig (opens in a new tab)
- Kentucky Pest News. Jonathan L. Larson. "Earwigs: Hungry Bugs with Weird Butts". June 25, 2024. https://kentuckypestnews.wordpress.com/2024/06/25/earwigs-hungry-bugs-with-weird-butts/ (opens in a new tab)
- University of Illinois Extension. "Centipedes and Milipedes". https://extension.illinois.edu/insects/centipedes-and-milipedes (opens in a new tab)