Are millipedes ten times faster than centipedes? While that joke got a lot of laughs on the internet, having them in your house is no joke. Here’s how to get rid of millipedes in your house, garden and more
While millipedes are very beneficial in the garden, you likely won’t be so thrilled to find them indoors.
Most species of millipedes are harmless to humans and pets, but no one likes creepy crawlies moving around their homes.
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Especially during the rainy season, it’s not uncommon for them to leave their usual outdoor habitats and move indoors.
If you are here to learn how to get rid of millipedes, stick around and go through this article.
Where Do Millipedes Come From?
If you suddenly start finding millipedes in your home, you might wonder where they’re coming from, especially if you never noticed them around your home.
Well, millipedes are more common than you think; they just stay out of sight most of the time. These soil-dwelling organisms typically live underground or underneath stones, logs, and mulch.
They typically prefer dark and moist environments. They’re easy to identify – they have numerous body segments, and each body segment comes with two pairs of legs, adding up to hundreds of legs in total.
In the United States, these bugs are found in every state, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Overall, out of the 7,000 species of millipedes, nearly 20% live in America.
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Why Do I Have Millipedes in My House?
If you have millipedes in your house, it’s usually due to the weather. Heavy rains can fill up their living spaces under rocks and logs, forcing them to find a safer place.
Similarly, too little or no rain can turn the soil dry and cause them to move into homes where they can find some moisture.
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How Do Millipedes Get in the House?
So, how do millipedes make their way inside your house in the first place? Well, you should keep in mind that while millipedes cannot fly, they’re great at crawling along vertical walls.
They can simply crawl up the exterior wall of your home and look for a place to enter.
Usually, millipedes enter homes through ground-level windows and doors, air vents, crawl space vents, garage doors, and cracks or crevices.
They’re especially drawn to your home if there are damp areas and decaying organic materials nearby.
How To Get Rid of Millipedes in House?
Let’s now explore how to get rid of millipedes indoors:
Leave them be
Usually, a millipede infestation doesn’t need any major treatments as they don’t survive more than a few days in dry indoor conditions.
Moreover, you don’t have to worry about the millipedes multiplying as they don’t lay eggs indoors. You can just wait them out for a few days, as the infestation won’t last long.
Manual removal
If you come across millipedes crawling around, you can just pick them up by hand or sweep them out with a broom.
However, it’s best not to touch them directly as some species of millipedes produce irritating fluids in defense and can trigger allergic reactions.
Bug sprays
Although this is more of a last resort, you may also use bug sprays. In addition to spraying the millipedes, create a bug barrier by spraying possible entry points. Make sure to use a bug spray that’s safe for indoor application.
How To Prevent Millipedes From Entering House?
Even if you get rid of the millipedes that were in your house, there’s always a chance that they can make a comeback. Here’s how you can prevent millipedes from entering your house in the future:
- Use caulk or other sealants to seal openings that aren’t supposed to be there, such as cracks in the exterior wall.
- Equip a door sweep under your exterior doors so that the millipedes can’t crawl underneath them to enter.
- Remember, millipedes are attracted to excess moisture. Use a dehumidifier or a sump pump to dry your home’s basement walls, foundation, and crawl spaces.
- Keep the surroundings of your home clean of mulch, grass clippings, wood particles, leaf litter, and other plant materials.
- Repair leaky air conditioning units, faucets, and water pipes.
How Long Does a Millipede Infestation Last?
Millipede infestations are rather short-lived and usually last less than a week, sometimes even a few hours.
This is because the dry environment inside a home isn’t suitable for them and they can’t survive more than a few days. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, they don’t reproduce indoors either.
How To Kill Millipedes?
Although millipede infestations aren’t too severe, you might have no choice but to kill them if there are too many of them. As mentioned earlier, manual removal or the use of bug sprays is usually enough.
However, you can also use various other organic pest treatment methods, such as using neem oil, diatomaceous earth, boric acid, etc.
If you’d prefer to remove millipedes without killing them, you may also use traps instead.
Does Epsom Salt Kill Millipedes?
Comprising magnesium, sulfur, and water, Epsom Salt is quite useful to gardeners.
Besides being beneficial to plant health, Epsom salt also has insecticidal properties and helps repel various pests.
However, if you are thinking about using Epsom salt to eliminate millipedes, it won’t work. Epsom salt does not kill them; you’ll have to use other methods.
Will Vinegar Kill Millipedes?
Vinegar is another common natural insecticide and pest repellent that works well against a variety of bugs. You may use apple cider vinegar to kill or repel millipedes in your home.
The fact that vinegar is a common kitchen ingredient also makes it an easily available solution against millipedes.
You may also use vinegar to clean up stains left behind by crushed millipedes and get rid of their smell.
Will Baking Soda Kill Millipedes?
It’s a common misconception that baking soda can kill millipedes.
Applying baking soda to millipede-infested places seems to work only because it eliminates the foul smell excreted by millipedes.
However, the millipedes are still there; you just won’t smell them anymore.
Does Soapy Water Kill Millipedes?
Yes, soapy water can kill most crawling insects, including millipedes. However, keep in mind that not all soap and water solutions work against millipedes.
Detergent wouldn’t be effective against them – you need to use dish soap. Create a 50-50 solution of water and dish soap and spray it over the millipedes.
You may also pour the soapy water solution into infested areas and wash them to keep away the bugs.
Does DE Kill Millipedes?
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is one of the most effective natural pesticides and works well against millipedes.
You may sprinkle this crystalline powdery substance in and around areas where millipedes are likely to hide or pass through.
The crystals can easily pierce into their exoskeletons, causing micro punctures. Once the DE enters their body, it starts dehydrating them from the inside and eventually kills them.
This substance isn’t harmful to humans and is safe for indoor use.
Does Boric Acid Kill Millipedes?
Working in a way similar to DE, boric acid is effective in removing millipedes as well.
It enters the body of pests crawling over it by cutting through the exoskeleton.
In addition to causing dehydration, boric acid also hampers the digestive system of millipedes and other pests.
This allows it to kill them faster than the diatomaceous earth. However, boric acid isn’t as nontoxic as DE and you shouldn’t use it around kids or pets.
Does Neem Oil Kill Millipedes in Houseplants?
If you have houseplants at home, it’s quite likely that they might attract millipedes. Treating houseplants with neem oil is a great way to eliminate various bugs, including millipedes.
Neem oil treatment is easy – just mix it with water and use a spray bottle to spray the solution over your plants.
However, while neem oil is very effective, it works very slowly. It might take multiple treatments to get rid of millipedes using neem oil.
How To Get Rid of Millipedes Home Remedy?
Simple home remedies to make your home an unsuitable habitat for millipedes can be enough to get rid of them and eliminate the need for pest control solutions.
Remember – millipedes are always attracted to places with excess moisture. Fixing water leaks and keeping your home dry should help keep them away.
You should be careful about areas that are usually damp, such as the basement and around your kitchen sink.
Also, get rid of plant debris, mulch, boxes, etc. from the surroundings of your home’s foundation. Keep your compost and trash secure, and avoid over-fertilizing your lawn.
How To Get Rid of Millipedes in Soil?
Before you start working on removing millipedes from the soil, you should bear in mind that these soil-dwelling organisms are quite beneficial.
They are natural recyclers and help decompose decaying organic matter. However, too many millipedes can pose a problem, especially if they start damaging your plants.
You can try out the following solutions:
- DE: As mentioned earlier, diatomaceous earth is an extremely effective natural pesticide that can help you kill millipedes. Just sprinkle it over the soil, especially around your flower beds.
- Natural predators: If possible, try to attract natural predators like frogs and toads and build bird feeders to attract birds. They will help keep the millipede population in control.
- Changing the soil: If you are dealing with a heavy millipede infestation in potting soil, you may consider transplanting your plant. Alternatively, you can just empty the pot and refill it with clean soil.
- Pesticides: Of course, spraying pesticides on the soil can kill millipedes too. You should keep chemical pesticides as a last resort as they often have various side effects and may kill other beneficial organisms too.
Frequently asked questions
How To Get Rid of Millipedes in Basement?
You should start by fixing any water leaks and drying up the basement since the damp environment is the main reason why you have millipedes there in the first place.
In the absence of moisture, the millipedes will die within a few days.
How To Get Rid of Greenhouse Millipede?
If you have millipedes infesting your greenhouse, consider treating your plants with neem oil or essential oils to repel them.
You can also sprinkle diatomaceous earth or boric acid to kill them. These agents work by removing water from their body, ultimately dehydrating and killing them from the inside.
How To Keep Millipedes Away?
Keeping millipedes away isn’t too hard – just keep your home clean and dry.
Trim the grass around your home and keep the surroundings free of decaying organic matter like plant debris.
If you still find millipedes coming into your home, seal up potential entry points.
What is the fastest way to get rid of millipedes?
The fastest way to get rid of millipedes is to simply use a bug spray or other chemical insecticides.
However, it’s best to try natural methods like DE, neem oil, and manual removal first, unless you are in a hurry to eliminate the millipedes as fast as possible.
Wrap Up
The millipede is mostly just a nuisance pest and rarely causes any noticeable damage to plants.
Unless you can’t stand their presence at all or there are too many of them, you don’t have to go into a lot of trouble to get rid of them.
Maintaining adequate ventilation and a dry environment indoors should be enough to keep them away most of the time.
21 Comments. Leave new
As an interesting note on this post, I live in Gravenhurst, ON, Canada. Part of the Muskoka, and while working on the East side of Miller Island, I saw this exact Millipede. I was cutting some rock and after having been stopped for a few minutes, this Millipede crawled out from a large crack running through the rock and on to a deck. I scooted it out of my way and let it be on it’s merry way. Unfortunately, didn’t have the time to snap a photo.
Omg I love millipedes! I have bunch of these in where I live right now! You can find these around humid places, where they thrive. Aren’t they so cute? Look at their faces up close! 🙂
I don’t think they bite at all. I’ve touched them numerous times and they are harmless to humans. You can just pick them up from your hand, wait ’till they unroll and let them crawl around your hand. If you see one and would like to get rid of it, please don’t squish or step on them. Just simply get a broom and dust pan and place them somewhere else that is far away from your house. Or, you can use the paper method. Place the paper in their direction and let them crawl onto it. Then, you just let them free. 😀 I remember stepping on a black millipede before (I had no idea) I felt it under my shoe and it made a loud crunching noise (it sounded very crunchy, as if you were stepping on a potato chip). If they are in your house, it is probably because of the humidity or maybe you have other insects that are attracting them into your house, so you might want to check your house for other bugs 🙂
Omg I love millipedes! I have bunch of these in where I live right now! You can find these around humid places, where they thrive. Aren’t they so cute? Look at their faces up close! 🙂
I don’t think they bite at all. I’ve touched them numerous times and they are harmless to humans. You can just pick them up from your hand, wait ’till they unroll and let them crawl around your hand. If you see one and would like to get rid of it, please don’t squish or step on them. Just simply get a broom and dust pan and place them somewhere else that is far away from your house. Or, you can use the paper method. Place the paper in their direction and let them crawl onto it. Then, you just let them free. 😀 I remember stepping on a black millipede before (I had no idea) I felt it under my shoe and it made a loud crunching noise (it sounded very crunchy, as if you were stepping on a potato chip). If they are in your house, it is probably because of the humidity or maybe you have other insects that are attracting them into your house, so you might want to check your house for other bugs 🙂
Thank you for your perspective on this.
My place in Coral Springs, Florida is infested with these things!! Every morning there are over 30 around my front door and my neighbors. They somehow get inside my condo and die. These things are so freaking annoying. Does anybody out there know how to prevent them coming into your home?
I live in South Florida (Coconut Creek). I’ve been noticing an unusual amount of these Rusty Millipedes lately. Never had this many before. Lived here 13 years. I am wondering why we are seeing so many. Friends have also noticed them around South Florida lately.
Often introduced species have no natural predators to control their numbers.
I found a hairy backed pie dish beetle in the Karri forest,king jarrah!! PS I love your work mr bug man PPS. I am only 11
Thanks Otis. You are very polite. The Hairy Backed Pie Dish Beetle is sure an unusual looking insect.
We just found one of these crawling on our bedroom floor and we live on Maui. I’m glad they are harmless!
Hi there! I have seen a lot of them in Vietnam! As Kylie said, they are cute when you look up close at their heads 🙂 Wasnt sure if they release any irritating secretion so didnt handle them, but apparently not- Love their color. Thanks for this post!
I too have these and live on Maui, I had one crawl on my leg yesterday and found another 4 in the house and 1 in the bedroom which freaked me out! I’m glad they aren’t hurtful but just kinda gross…
I live in St Petersburg Florida and i just saw a bright red one of these on my porch. Uh uh that thing is creepy. I took a video of it as ive never seen one before.
They are cute until they creep up while you’re sleeping and you wake up with horrible burns.
(PS it happened to me)
They are cute until they creep up while you’re sleeping and you wake up with horrible burns.
(PS it happened to me)
Hello! I am a preschool teacher here in St. Pertersburg, Fla. and our mulched playground is littered with them! We teetered back and forth on centipede or millipede and then of course Googled it! It’s a fun science inquiry activity that we incorporate with our students. We’ve found them “hugging” often as well!
Is it possibly a white striped millipede
Hi, I was on a hike today and saw a millipede exactly like the one pictured above. It was hanging out in a small pool of water along the trail. Hike was on Oahu. I found this page trying to find out what kind of millipede it was.
I just saw one of these in my back yard in central North Carolina. It’s the largest millipede I’ve seen around here.
I live in a small town in north Florida. These Millipedes showed up at the dealership I work for after our neighbor McDonald’s re mulched there landscape. Now we have them coming in all the time to wander around.
Chickens love them,just sayin