Ever wonder what those hundreds of “little worm like ” creatures are in your basement or your swimming pool every summer? They’re the relatively harmless yet annoying millipede.
They don’t have quite a thousand legs as their name suggests but they possess 2 pairs of legs per body segment as opposed to their lesser limbed cousin the centipede (who has 1 pair of legs per body segment) and much less than an insect who comes in with a measly 3 pairs for their entire body. They don’t bite or sting so millipedes are not poisonous nor are millipedes dangerous. They are confined to being pretty much nature’s recyclers eating decaying organic matter.
What exactly are these millipedes doing in your basement or swimming pool though?
Like most insect pests such as roaches and springtails, they love moisture and what better place than a damp, dark basement to set up shop or a nice large mass of water in the middle of your yard? Millipedes are unfortunately highly mobile especially after periods of heavy rains or very dry weather looking for more favorable conditions. You typically do not have to treat inside for these pests since they will not survive indoors very long (usually a few hours since it’s too dry). So as with most insect pests in the upstate, the best practice is to keep them out before they get in.
What can you do to prevent these millipedes in and around your home?
Let’s look at a few tips and tricks:
- – Reduce ground cover and mulch (that create wet and humid microclimates)
- – Seal cracks and crevices in your foundation and around doors and windows with caulk and weather stripping
- – Keep your lawn trimmed and do not over irrigate
- – Make sure crawl spaces and basements are relatively dry well ventilated or have a dehumidifier. If you have problems with water under your home in the crawl space see our moisture control service
And Remember at Spencer Pest Services “we make it easy.” Let our service professionals evaluate the environment and treat with the most effective products to reduce these annoying “1000 legged pests” from around your home and your property
