Ants
Creepy, Crawly and Close to Home: More Spooky Pests in Central Texas October 15, 2026
Halloween season is finally upon us! While you're getting into the holiday spirit with all things spooky, that doesn't mean you have to welcome creepy crawlers into your home.
Spiders hiding in the garage, scorpions under boxes, cockroaches appearing after dark, and rodents scratching inside the walls can all make your home feel a little too spooky.
For homeowners in Waco, Temple, Killeen, and surrounding Central Texas communities, September is a great time to pay closer attention to pest activity around your home.
Here are four spooky pests homeowners should watch for this fall and what you can do to help keep them outside.
1. Centipedes
With long bodies, lots of legs, and surprisingly fast movement, centipedes easily earn a spot on the list of creepy pests.
Centipedes prefer protected areas with moisture and often feed on insects and other small pests. Outdoors, they may hide underneath rocks, leaves, logs, mulch, and other damp areas. Indoors, homeowners may find them in bathrooms, garages, closets,basements, or other areas where moisture is present.
While centipedes are not generally considered destructive household pests, some can bite if handled or disturbed.
Signs of centipede activity:
- Frequent sightings around sinks or plumbing.
- Other insect activity that may be providing a food source.
- Centipedes appearing in bathrooms, garages, or other damp areas.
- Centipedes hiding underneath boxes, storage items, or outdoor debris.
How to help prevent centipedes:
- Reduce clutter in garages and storage areas.
- Seal cracks and gaps around doors and windows.
- Keep leaves and debris away from your foundation.
- Repair plumbing leaks and other moisture problems.
- Keep landscaping maintained around the exterior of your home.
- Address other insect problems that may be attracting centipedes.
If you are frequently finding centipedes indoors, it may be a sign that conditions around your home are giving them the moisture, shelter, or food they need.
Earwigs
Earwigs might look intimidating because of the pincers at the end of their bodies, but they are primarily considered a nuisance pest.
Earwigs are found throughout Texas and prefer dark, protected areas with moisture. Around your property, they can hide beneath mulch, leaves, flower pots, landscaping materials, and other objects that hold moisture.
They can also wander indoors, where homeowners may find them in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, garages, or other areas.
Signs of earwig activity:
- Earwigs appearing around doors and windows.
- Groups of earwigs hiding underneath outdoor objects.
- Frequent sightings in bathrooms or other damp areas.
- Earwigs underneath flower pots, mulch, or landscaping materials.
How to help prevent earwigs:
- Seal gaps around doors and windows.
- Repair leaking faucets and plumbing.
- Remove excess leaves and debris from around your home.
- Keep outdoor areas clean and free of unnecessary clutter.
- Avoid allowing mulch to pile directly against your foundation.
- Reduce unnecessary moisture around the exterior of your home.
Reducing moisture and hiding places around your home can make your property much less inviting to earwigs.
2. Silverfish
Silverfish might be small, but their unusual appearance and quick movements can make them an unwelcome surprise.
These wingless insects have tapered bodies and long antennae. They prefer humid environments and are often found in bathrooms, closets, cabinets, attics, storage areas, and other dark spaces.
Silverfish can feed on materials containing starches and carbohydrates, which may include paper, cardboard, book bindings, wallpaper paste, and some stored materials.
Signs of silverfish:
- Silverfish around cardboard boxes or stored papers.
- Activity in bathrooms, closets, cabinets, or storage areas.
- Small silver or gray insects moving quickly across floors or walls.
- Damage to paper products or other stored materials when populations are high.
How to help prevent silverfish:
- Repair plumbing leaks
- Keep storage areas clean and organized.
- Reduce cardboard and unnecessary clutter.
- Seal cracks and openings around your home.
- Reduce humidity and excess moisture indoors.
- Store important papers and belongings in sealed containers.
Finding an occasional silverfish does not necessarily mean you have a major infestation, but repeated sightings can indicate that your home is providing the moisture and shelter they prefer.
3. Wasps and Yellowjackets
Wasps definitely earn their place on the spooky pest list, especially when you discover a nest close to your front door, patio, garage, or another area your family regularly uses.
Paper wasps and yellowjackets are common stinging insects in Texas. Yellowjackets can become particularly defensive around their colonies, and activity may remain noticeable during the fall while temperatures are still warm.
Signs of wasp activity:
- Wasps repeatedly flying around the same area.
- A nest located close to a frequently used area.
- Wasps entering and exiting a hole in the ground or structure.
- Visible paper nests underneath roof eaves or around porches.
- Increased activity around outdoor food, trash cans, or sugary drinks.
How to help prevent wasps:
- Clean up food and drink spills outside.
- Keep outdoor trash cans securely closed.
- Keep landscaping maintained around frequently used outdoor areas.
- Inspect porches, rooflines, sheds, and other structures for nests.
- Seal openings that may allow pests into walls or other protected areas.
Do not attempt to disturb or remove a large active nest yourself. Stinging insects may defend their colony when they feel threatened.
Why Are You Seeing Creepy Pests Around Your Central Texas Home?
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is assuming that every pest they find indoors came inside for the same reason.
Pests enter homes for different reasons.
Some are searching for moisture. Others are following insects they feed on. Some simply wander indoors through an open door or small gap.
Your home may also provide exactly what a pest needs to survive, including:
- Food
- Water
- Shelter
- Moisture
- Dark hiding places
- Other insects to feed on
Reducing these conditions is an important part of long term pest prevention.
Fall Pest Prevention Tips for Central Texas Homeowners
October is a great time to walk around your property and look for conditions that could attract pests.
If you live in Waco, Temple, Killeen, Belton, Harker Heights, Hewitt, Woodway, Robinson, Lorena, China Spring, or another Central Texas community, consider adding these simple steps to your fall home maintenance routine.
- Keep trash cans securely closed.
- Store food and pet food properly.
- Repair leaking faucets and plumbing.
- Seal cracks around doors and windows.
- Keep landscaping trimmed and maintained.
- Remove leaves and debris from around the foundation.
- Reduce unnecessary clutter in garages and storage areas.
- Check gaps around pipes, cables, and other lines entering your home.
- Watch for nests, droppings, damaged materials, or other signs of pest activity
The goal is not just to treat pests after you find them. Consistent pest control and prevention can help reduce the conditions that allow pest problems to develop in the first place.
Professional Pest Control in Waco, Temple and Killeen
Halloween decorations are supposed to be creepy. Your home should not be.
If you are finding unwanted bugs or other pest activity around your property, GGA Pest Management provides professional pest control for homeowners throughout Waco, Temple, Killeen, and surrounding Central Texas communities.
Our recurring pest control services are designed to address common pests around your home while helping prevent new pest problems throughout the year.
Instead of waiting until you have a larger infestation, routine pest control allows us to consistently inspect and treat areas where pests are most likely to live, hide, and enter your home.
Keep the Creepy Crawlers Outside This Fall
Centipedes, earwigs, silverfish, wasps, and other creepy pests might fit the Halloween theme, but that does not mean they belong in your home.
GGA Pest Management provides professional residential pest control throughout Waco, Temple, Killeen, and surrounding Central Texas communities. Consistent pest control helps target active pests while creating an ongoing plan to reduce future pest activity around your home.
If you are noticing unwanted pest activity around your property, let our local team help.
Book your free pest inspection online at ggapest.com/book
GGA Pest Management proudly serves homeowners throughout Waco, Temple, Killeen, Belton, Harker Heights, Hewitt, Woodway, and surrounding Central Texas communities with professional, ongoing pest control designed for the pests we see right here in Central Texas.
