House Millipedes: Is Your House a Millipede Hot Spot?

January 2nd, 2010 Posted in Centipedes & Millipedes


A long body swerves and scurries in your peripheral vision. A chill runs down your spine. You’ve just spotted a millipede in your home, and you’re afraid that where there’s one, there must be more.

This article will explore:






What is a millipede?

First of all, a millipede doesn’t have a million legs, or even a thousand. They have four pairs of legs on each segment of their body, usually between 80 and 400 legs in all. (That’s still a lot of legs!)

Millipedes aren’t insects. They are arthropods that are part of the class Diplopoda, with over 6,000 species. They are usually black or dark brown. They’re about an inch and a half long and have flat eyes that sit on the side of their head.

When threatened, millipedes will roll into a little ball. If you pick one up, you can watch this protective maneuver in action. Millipedes can live for up to seven years. (Apparently, that protective move really works.)

House millipedes are not pests because they generally stay outdoors and don’t bite or sting. They also don’t destroy structures or furniture. But occasionally they do wander indoors, especially when the weather starts to get colder.


Where do millipedes live?

Millipedes live in damp, dark places like compost piles, under rotting leaves, in cracks, and under logs. They aren’t predatory.

In fact, millipedes can be beneficial. They feed on damp, decaying vegetable matter, making them natural recyclers. They help to break down organic, biodegradable material.

rotting


Millipedes do travel indoors sometimes. In late fall, when the weather starts to get cooler, they might find their way into your home. They also come indoors if it rains too much and their homes flood.

If you find millipedes in your home, they’re likely in your garage or basement. They usually stay on the lowest floor and are attracted to damp, dark places. You’ll also usually spot them after dark. They like to hide during the day.

There’s good news, if you see a millipede in your home. They cannot reproduce indoors, so one millipede is not the start of a huge infestation of creepy crawlies.

If you see a lot of millipedes indoors, it’s probably because they laid eggs near your home and so now they are finding their way indoors.

Millipedes are unique insects because they migrate during certain parts of the year. Usually in the spring and fall, they will migrate long distances to warmer, more humid weather.


How to get rid of millipedes

If you spot a millipede in your home, don’t panic. Like I said, millipedes cannot reproduce indoors, so you don’t need to worry about a large scale infestation.

Insecticide is only useful in getting rid of millipedes outdoors. You can spray around the foundation of your home to ward off millipedes. If you do want to use chemicals, try EcoSMART Ant and Roach Killer, which works for crawling insects. It’s safe to spray on the lower parts of your home because it won’t harm your kids or pets.

dust pan


If you see a millipede in your home, find anything to get the millipede outside: a broom and dustpan, a piece of paper, or a glass and a magazine. Take it away from your home and set it free in some nice woods or someplace with decaying material.

Mostly, the key to preventing millipedes is to control them. If you see one, you’ll want to institute preventative measures to stop more from coming in. Here are some things you can do to prevent millipedes entering your home in the first place:

  • Seal cracks in your foundation, and any other holes that lead from the outdoors to your home. Don’t overlook even the tiniest crack- millipedes can enter your home through minuscule openings.

  • Prevent a heavily moist environment. Millipedes need high humidity to live. Installing de-humidifiers can go a long way in making your home less hospitable to millipedes. Make sure you don’t have leaky faucets or plumbing in the walls. A dry home is a millipede free home!

  • Move compost piles and leaves away from your home. If you keep millipedes’ favorite foods around your home, they’re more likely to think you want to welcome them inside.



Carrie Milford

  1. 23 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!

  2. By Pam on Jan 4, 2010

    Wondering how it works for California Brown Spiders. Even chemicals don’t seem to get rid of them. I always prefer a more organic way so would love it if this did the job.

  3. By Robyn on Jan 4, 2010

    help! I came across your website after pulling a sweater out of my closet and noticing it had a hole in it. After doing some research I realize that the small bugs I have found (for a while) are larvae…yuck! I would be really happy to try your product. I am considering pulling up all my carpets!

  4. By James Evangelista on Jan 16, 2010

    I like santa. No seriously though, milipedes were problems until I welcomed them into my home. Now they are a part of me.

  5. By DonnaLynn on Jun 6, 2010

    We just moved to Ft. Bragg, NC and have ZERO control over how much mulch is around our house. We’ve also had a lot of rain lately and have literally hundreds of milipedes inside our house in just the last few days. My daughter lives with us and is due to have a baby in just a few days, so I’m worried about these nasty things. I’d really like to try your product to see if we can at least cut down on these things. Like I said, we have ZERO control over the mulch around our house since our housing office has rules about what we can and can’t remove in our yard.

  6. By Amy Thompson on Jul 20, 2010

    Help! I’ve got some small millipedes invading my apartment. I live in a basement apartment; the place is damp & cool. For the past 2 weeks, I’ve seen these guys walking around at night. What do I do???

  7. By Lauren on Jul 29, 2010

    I have hundreds of millipedes in my basement grooming shop. They have been coming in for about two months now, and show no signs of letting up. Frequent vacuuming, fans to help dry out the room help, but in the morning they are right back again. My house foundation is fieldstone and behind sheetrock, so sealing cracks is impossible. I really need help.

  8. By Patrice Jennings on Aug 4, 2010

    We have suddenly become infested with millipedes which seem to be coming into our home from all sides. Our house is built on pillars so is very damp this summer with the moist conditions in upstate NY. We also have problems with carpenter bees, and carpenter ants which we are now looking at your product line for help with. We have two small children and five cats so prefer to use as few dangerous chemicals as possible in keeping our home insect free.

  9. By June Williams on Aug 7, 2010

    BEWARE! If you walk into my kitchen at night you hear CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH like you are walking on peanut shells and heaven help you if you are barefoot because you will have millipede guts all over the bottom of your feet. EEWWWW! I am trying this product pronto. I have tried several other products but these crunchy littler suckers manage to survive. PLEASE LET THIS WORK!

  10. By Dave Ernst on Oct 12, 2010

    I love to try anything. I can’t get rid of the things.

  11. By Dave Ernst on Oct 12, 2010

    I would love to try anything, I can’t get rid of them.

  12. By Pam Bynum on Oct 15, 2010

    HELP!! I’VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT THESE LONG LOOKING WORMS ARE ALL OVER OUR HOUSE, I FINALY FOUND A FRIEND THAT TOLD ME THEY WERE MILLIPEDES BUT DIDNT KNOW HOW TO GET REIDE OF THEM I FINNALY COME ACROSS YOUR WEB SIGHT AND SEEN OTHER PEOPLE HAD PROBLEMS TO I HAVE A WEAK STOMACH WHEN IT COMES TO ANY SMALL CREAPY CREATURES PLEASE HELP..

  13. By Sophia on Nov 12, 2010

    I live in Trinidad, an island in the West Indies. We are in the hurricane season so there is lots of rain.These creatures are everywhere and they gross me out.They are on the walls, stairs and inside the house. I am so afraid that I will wake up with one in my bed. PLEASE help me get rid of them along with the spiders and silverfish you wrote about.

  14. By James Mapuor on Dec 22, 2010

    We in Lakes State of South Sudan have a species of millipede which destroys pea nut ,infact it has a piercing mouth part which helps it get into pea nut pods in the field & destroy the growing kernel.How can we control this type of pest?

  15. By Aaron on May 13, 2011

    I saw a small milipede today, do millipeds sometimes look like sow bugs? I have alot of them and this milipede was only 3 inches and dark black, I grabbed it and I did not curl up, at all. It was not a centipede it moved to slow and had many legs. Thankn i hope I can try you product. i tried boric acid so far they keep comming. I like on a second story apartment and have no water or food around, havent found any mosture probs.

  16. By louise on May 24, 2011

    oh my god these millipede things are invading my bathroom every day. i got rid of about 12 of them last night, being tyring to keep the windows closed but doesnt seem to be working, could they come up drain pipes?

  17. By Duane Perkins on Jul 17, 2011

    Hello,
    I love the fact that you have developed an earth friendly product for so many pests. We live in Western NY and seem to see out share of native criters. Skunks, possums, and the like all the way to Ants, stinkbugs and spiders. This year, we seem to be getting an influx of millipedes. I am not sure why, nothing has changed that I am able to destinguish but they have filled my sticky glue traps meant to deter the sugar ants from setting up home in our kitchen, but, also we are seeing them in places like under the traction pad in the tub. I have seen them outdoors and always thought of them as a good insect, and still do, but the wife says the buck stops at the door with them and I cant say I blame her. I am not sure if your testing offer still stands, but I would love to participate and if I have success would be more then willing to share my experience with others and buy your product yearly as I love to find earth friendly solutions to these problems… Thanks and have a GREAT DAY! =])

  18. By Dave on Aug 2, 2011

    We just moved into a new house ( new to us) and are just learning about these annoying little creatures. I can’t take them any more. EcoSmart sounds like a good place to start.

  19. By Rob Witte on Aug 4, 2011

    Hi I’m having major milipede problems too.It’s nice to read that they are harmless and can’t reproduce inside but like June williams said, crunching milipede guts in barefeet is nasty.Would like to try your product.
    Rob

  20. By Karen Jennings on Aug 26, 2011

    Help! I have thousasnds of millipedes in my basement and I hate going down there now. Kids have a play area down there and I need something that is safe near them.

  21. By Clare on Sep 3, 2011

    I hate millipedes… They’re gross. Please send me your product.

    Thanks.

  22. By Karen Huebner on Sep 27, 2011

    BOY do we need help. Last year we had these Millipedes in our garage. Hundreds of them and we just could not get rid of them I had some stuff I used on my Birch tree for killing bugs on that. It killed them but they would come again the next day .. This year we have THOUSANDS OF Them we are shoveling them out every day and they just keep comming I am using amonnia on them it kills them but the next day there are more our porch floor will be covered with them every night. They are driving me crazy!!

  23. By audrey miller on Oct 2, 2011

    i saw a brown like worm on my wall in my bed
    room. i hit it and it fell but i have never
    been able to find it. after searching the
    internet i think it might have been a
    millepede. i am scared to death how can i make sure it is not in my hose. we have looked everywhere. help.

  24. By Cheryl on Oct 10, 2011

    I find this information comforting in the fact that millepedes dont bite and are not harmful, however my family room is infested. I collect about 30 each night and flush them down the toilet. I have been observing them for the past 3 nights as I sleep downstairs on the couch to see what is happening. I am convinced that they are living below the surface of my carpeting, and working their way up through the fibers. I cant explain how else they seem to appear in the middle of the room, out of nowhere, not coming from the direction of a door. They are annoying and embarassing. I feel like I cant have anyone in my home until they are gone. I am wondering how many more there are. And, if they cant lay eggs inside, when will they be all gone? Can I treat the carpeting, below the surface?

23 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers! (details)