If you live in or around our service area, there’s a good chance that you’ve already noticed millipedes around your home in the past week or so, and maybe even found one inside, probably dead.
The name “millipede” is a bit of an exaggeration, as is the nickname “thousand-legger,” as millipedes do not literally have a thousand legs, though it’s not unusual for them to have one hundred or more. These slow-moving nuisance pests, brown to black in color, are often found around buildings, in moist areas like mulch, leaves, compost, and flower pots. They only enter structures accidentally, and do not survive indoors for long.
Millipedes feed on decaying organic matter, but will sometimes feed on young plants. For this reason, they can be a minor garden pest, though damage to plants is usually minimal. They do not bite or sting humans.
While an indoor treatment for accidental invaders is usually pointless, as the pests will die whether they encounter pesticides or not, there are a couple of steps that you can take to manage the millipedes outside your home, and prevent them from coming in:
- Minimize moisture and harborage around the home; remove leaves, grass clippings, moist mulch, etc.
- Locate and seal all pest entry points, such as cracks and gaps.
- Treat the perimeter and beddings with an appropriate pesticide. (That’s where we come in — see our website for more information about our residential services.)
