Millipedes are decomposers in the complex web of life on Earth, dissolving organic matter and recycling nutrients. However, these multi-legged animals can disturb the harmony of your interior spaces if they come inside.
Millipedes are tiny, sluggish insects. Their bodies are usually brown or black, segmented and worm-like. The first three or so body segments have one pair of legs each, while the remaining segments have two pairs. Adults typically reach lengths of 2.5 to 4 cm.
The majority of millipedes have between thirty and ninety pairs of legs that cover their entire body. While millipedes and centipedes are similar in some ways, millipedes have two pairs of legs per segment as opposed to one pair. Additionally, centipedes move far more quickly than millipedes do.
Although they do not harm food, furnishings, or buildings, millipedes can ruin gardens and infest houses and commercial buildings because of their vast population, and millipede control is essential in these situations.
Though some species of millipedes release an offensive-smelling defensive fluid when touched, which can cause skin irritation, millipedes do not bite or sting. These species’ bodies are marked with orange or red pigment.
Millipedes typically live beneath debris piles, mulch, or soil because they prefer dark, damp climates with high moisture content. Millipedes are drawn to damp, decaying wood and dead leaves in places like crawl spaces because they feed on decomposing vegetation.
If the weather outside gets too warm and dry, they might go inside a house or other structure. Once inside, they’ll take cover behind furniture or boxes. However, they won’t survive for very long because indoor spaces typically lack particularly moist conditions and withering vegetation to provide them with food.
Depending on the kind of millipede and the environmental factors in their environment, their lifespan can range from a few weeks to a decade. It is thought that millipedes have a limited lifespan of a few weeks in the absence of ideal cool, damp conditions and abundant food sources.
Millipedes are spherical in shape, with a hard external skeleton, and two pairs of short legs on each segment of the body. It’s challenging to see their legs because they are tucked under the body.
With their small antennae, millipedes move slowly in waves as they burrow through moist leaf litter, fungi, and decomposing plant matter on the ground. Similar to earthworms, they aerate and enrich the soil as they plow through it while chomping on dead plants and other vegetation.
Birds, badgers, shrews, and toads all attack millipedes. Millipedes’ bodies are coiled into tight spirals to shield their delicate undersides from harm. Their legs and heads are also shielded by this coil shape. When disturbed, they occasionally dig tunnels to bury themselves, pushing dirt away with their front legs.
Many millipede species have defense glands called ozopores that release an offensive-tasting, foul-smelling liquid that scares off a lot of predators. Many irritants, such as hydrochloric acid, phenol, and irritating quinones, are present in this liquid.
Seeing millipedes is often the first indication of an infestation. They don’t typically infest houses, though under the right circumstances, they can proliferate in large numbers in gardens. A moisture source that needs to be fixed is probably the reason you’re seeing a few millipedes in your house.
Any decaying firewood, trash, grass clippings, or other organic material lying around the yard will draw millipedes. Because they are drawn to light, they will congregate in areas with light sources, such as parking lots, patios, and decks.
When they get close to a building, they might be able to enter through gaps around windows and doors or fractures in the foundation walls. If their outdoor habitat gets too dry or if they are drawn to an indoor light source, they will come inside.
Sadly, you have little control over whether or not millipedes decide to live on your residential or commercial property. These bothersome vermin seek out areas with cool, moist soil, such as flowerbeds, gardens, leaf piles, mulch beds, and similar settings.
Millipedes may move into structures in large numbers throughout the year, but they are most active in the fall, spring, and summer.
Certain species of millipede emit foul-smelling fluid through holes in their bodies. This fluid can be poisonous to small animals and pets and can cause minor blisters on humans, which emphasizes the significance of controlling millipede populations.
Reducing damp areas inside and outside of your home is the best strategy to avoid and eradicate millipede infestations. If your basement is damp, think about using a dehumidifier. To prevent grass from retaining moisture, keep lawns mowed, and water them early in the morning to let the grass dry during the day. Clear the grass clippings and piles of leaves.
Keep water away from your foundation wall by using splash blocks, downspouts, and gutters that are operating properly. Installing tiles, drains, or sloping the land to allow water to drain away from your foundation may be necessary if your home has inadequate drainage.
To get rid of millipedes, many homeowners call for professional assistance when the situation gets bad. It is the most effective way to solve your issue.
Your Titan expert will typically conduct an inspection before starting a millipede treatment to identify the pests’ point of entry into your house. Following the inspection, your specialist will create a plan that might include chemical and non-chemical treatment techniques.
If using chemical products is the most efficient course of action, your strategy may involve applying the products both internally and externally to possible harborage sites and entry points where millipedes congregate.
In between our routinely planned visits, we’ll stay in contact and attend to any urgent requirements!