How to Get Rid of Millipedes in House and More

What Attracts Millipedes in the House?

Millipedes are attracted to moisture, darkness, and decaying organic matter commonly found in basements, bathrooms, and around home foundations. They often enter homes during wet weather or to escape dry, hot conditions outside.

What is a millipede?

Millipedes are small, segmented arthropods known for their long, cylindrical bodies and numerous legs—typically two pairs per body segment. Despite their name (which means “thousand feet”), most millipedes have between 30 to 400 legs.

How to Get Rid of Millipedes and Prevent Them From Coming In

• Consider waiting for them out

  Most millipedes in the home stick around because they do not know how to get out. They are not likely to survive in dry places and die within a few days of infestation. If you find one at your home, wait it out.

• Vacuum or bug spray

  Pests like cockroaches, spiders, millipedes and centipedes can be found in the basement of your house. Make sure to implement proper steps to prevent these basement bugs. Vacuuming or doing a spot treatment by spraying bug-killing pesticides on them are some straightforward ways to get rid of them.

• Creating a bug barrier

  You can literally create a barrier between millipede bugs and your house. Spray an anti-bug spray on entrances of your main door, vents, garages, utility doors and the bottom of doors, along the interior walls of basements and other spaces.

• No piling up

  Ensure there’s no mulch build-up on walls. Remove leaves, grass, woodpiles and stones gathered outside your home.

• Dehumidified

  Try to get rid of humidity in the corners of walls, laundry room, basement, garage and foundation by dehumidifying them all.

• Keep cleanliness

  The area that a millipede infestation problem can affect needs cleaning and regular maintenance. Throw away any collected water that will create a damp environment.

Different types of millipedes

There are various types of millipedes based on different colors, shapes, and sizes.

1. Giant African Millipede

With the ability to grow for about 15 inches, this 256 legged millipede is amongst the largest types of millipedes. They are dark brown and are found in the rainforests of Africa.

2. Shocking Pink Dragon Millipede

As the name suggests, these bright pink-colored millipedes are about three cm long. It releases a toxin, which smells like almonds, and is harmful to its predators. Their bright color and spines warn the predators not to eat them as they emit toxins.

3. Cave Millipedes

Cave millipedes are found in caves throughout the United States. They are adaptive to their environment and are almost pale and blind.

4. Garden Millipedes

You can commonly find garden millipedes in your home garden. They eat decaying plants and create a stir for homeowners.

Why are there millipedes in the house?

When the outside weather changes into extreme rains, excessive cold, or turns into a drought-like situation, millipede bugs find their way indoors.

Below are some indoor and outdoor places you can find them in:

• Indoors: You can find them in damp areas like the laundry room, crawl spaces, garages, basements, etc.
• Outdoors: Under piles of leaves, flower pots, wood piles, plant debris, below stones, etc.

Millipedes vs. Centipedes

Commonly mistaken for being the same, centipedes and millipedes are indeed different. Although they belong to the same family of arthropods, there are noticeable differences between centipedes and millipedes.

Professional Pest Control At Your Rescue!

Many home remedies can control pests and various bugs, but they are only temporary. Here’s when the professionals need to jump in. Take Care Termite & Pest Control aims to protect your home property and provide professional pest control service. We eradicate pests, termites, and other related problems effectively because we care about you, and we understand that your home is more than just a house, and your business is more than just a building!