Silverfish, earwigs, pill bugs and millipedes are signs of excess moisture. Learn why they show up in San Antonio homes and how to fix the cause, not just the bugs.
By Time's Up Pest Control. Published 2026-10-22.
Silverfish in the bathroom, earwigs under the door mat, pill bugs on the patio and millipedes in the garage are all called moisture pests. They're mostly harmless to people, but they're a useful warning sign. When they show up in numbers, there's usually too much moisture somewhere in or around your home.
Silverfish are silvery, carrot-shaped insects with three tail-like bristles. They like dark, humid spots such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, attics and closets, and feed on starches, paper, glue, book bindings and fabrics.
Earwigs are brown insects with pincers on the back end. The pincers look intimidating, but they're mostly harmless to people. Earwigs hide under mulch, stones, door mats and plant pots, and come inside through gaps under doors.
Pill bugs, or roly-polies, are small gray crustaceans, not insects. They roll into a ball when disturbed. They live in damp mulch and leaf litter and sometimes wander indoors, where they dry out and die quickly.
Millipedes are long, slow-moving, with many legs. They often migrate in big numbers after heavy rain or when soil dries out, and end up in garages and along the foundation.
A professional perimeter treatment creates a barrier that keeps moisture pests from crossing into the house, and an interior treatment can handle silverfish already inside. Treatment works best alongside the fixes above. Otherwise, the conditions that attract them will keep bringing them back.
The same moisture that attracts these pests also attracts subterranean termites. If you're fixing moisture problems around the foundation, it's a good time to check for signs of termites too.
Time's Up Pest Control finds the conditions that attract moisture pests and treats the perimeter to keep them outside. Our prevention programs keep that protection in place all year. Call for a free estimate, or read pest control after rain and flooding.
Silverfish don't bite or spread disease, but they can damage books, paper, wallpaper and some fabrics.
Heavy rain soaks their hiding spots in mulch and soil, so they move to higher, drier ground, often on patios and near doors.
Lowering humidity makes rooms much less attractive to silverfish. Combined with treatment and sealing gaps, it's very effective.
Time's Up Pest Control is a family-owned San Antonio pest control company serving homes and businesses. Licensed technicians (TPCL #877175), free estimates, satisfaction guarantee and 24/7 emergency service.
Phone: (210) 868-2267
Email: info@timesupbugs.com
Address: 1800 NE Interstate 410 Loop, Suite 216-B, San Antonio, TX 78209
Services: Pest Control, Termite Control, Pest Prevention, Commercial Pest Control