Millipedes

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Millipedes Millipedes normally live outdoors but may become nuisance pests indoors. At certain times of the year, such as late summer and autumn, excessive rainfall or drought may causemillipedes to leave the soil and crawl into houses and buildings. Sometimes millipedes may accumulate and die in swimming pools. Heavy continuous rainfall in newly developed wooded areas with virgin soil are often troublesome sites. Millipedes do not bite humans nor damage structures, household possessions or foods. They can give off a disagreeable odor and if crushed, leave an unsightly mess.

Millipedes, or "thousand-legged worms", are brownish-black or mottled with shades of orange, red or brown, and are cylindrical (wormlike) or slightly flattened, elongated animals, most of which have two pairs of legs per body segment, except for the first three segments which have only one pair of legs. Their short legs ripple in waves as they glide over a surface. They often curl up into a tight "C" shape, like a watch spring, and remain motionless when touched. They range from 1/2"-1/4" long depending on the species.

Millipedes can be live as long as seven years. They over-winter as adults and lay eggs singly or in small groups in the soil. Some females lay between 20 to 300 eggs (fertilization is internal), which hatch in a few weeks with young reaching adulthood in the autumn. Some reach sexual maturity the second year, while others spend four to five years in the larval stage.

Millipedes are attracted to dark, cool, moist environments, usually going unnoticed in the summer due to their nocturnal habits (activity at night) and tendency to disperse. They feed on living and decomposing vegetation and occasionally on dead snails, earthworms and insects. Slight feeding injury can occur on soft-stemmed plants, in gardens and greenhouses. They cannot tolerate water-saturated soil, which forces them to the surface and higher ground. Likewise, dry, drought conditions can stimulate migration. In the autumn, it is believed they may migrate for better overwintering sites. If one or all of these conditions exist, sometimes hundreds or thousands of millipedes are found in garages, first floor rooms and basements. Others believe that migration may occur when the food supply dwindles in October and November.

Millipedes prefer moist, decaying organic matter, and shade. Always keep compost piles, grass clippings, rotting wood, leaf piles, plant debris, stones, etc. away from the house foundation as far as practical to reduce moist, damp, dark places where feeding and reproduction can occur. Mulch beds attract millipedes. Repair and seal cracks and openings in the foundation wall and around door and window frames with caulking compound and weather stripping.

Moisture control is essential to avoid millipede problems. Proper ventilation of basements and crawl spaces is recommended for ongoing control of millipedes.

Use the links below to learn more about other home invading insects that are problems in Georgia.