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Quick answer: Millipedes are slow, cylindrical, many-legged arthropods that live in damp soil and leaf litter and sometimes migrate indoors in large numbers during wet weather or seasonal shifts. They are harmless, do not bite or damage the home, and usually die quickly indoors. Control is moisture reduction, removing damp harborage, and sealing entry points.
What do millipedes look like?
Millipedes are cylindrical, dark, many-segmented arthropods with two pairs of legs per segment and move slowly, often coiling into a spiral when disturbed. They are easy to distinguish from centipedes, which are flatter, faster predators with one pair of legs per segment.
Signs of millipedes
You will find millipedes under mulch, leaves, stones, and logs outdoors, and wandering indoors along foundations, thresholds, basements, and garages, especially during wet weather or seasonal migrations. Indoors they are usually found dead or dying.
Why millipedes appear indoors
Millipedes need moisture and feed on decaying plant matter. During heavy rain, drought, or fall migrations they leave the soil in large numbers and wander, slipping inside through gaps. Because homes are too dry for them, they rarely survive long indoors.
How to control millipedes
Control is perimeter moisture and harborage reduction: move mulch, leaves, and debris away from the foundation, improve drainage and grading, fix damp areas in basements and crawlspaces, and seal entry points with door sweeps, thresholds, and foundation sealant. Drying the perimeter removes the conditions that support them.
When to call a professional
For recurring millipede migrations into the home, a professional can identify the moisture and harborage sources, treat the perimeter, and recommend exclusion and drainage fixes that reduce the invasions.
A Brooklyn-based, NYSDEC-registered company (Reg. #15140) led by Jorge Bedoya, an Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE). For pests in your home or building, NYE provides IPM-based, low-exposure control matched to the exact pest and verified with a follow-up. ACE-led work comes with a client portal of service reports and photos, fully bilingual service, and no long-term contract.
Millipede FAQ
How do I identify a millipede?
Millipedes are cylindrical, dark, and many-segmented, with two pairs of legs per segment, and move slowly. When disturbed they often coil into a tight spiral. Centipedes, by contrast, are flatter, faster, and have one pair of legs per segment.
Are millipedes dangerous?
No. Millipedes do not bite or sting and do not damage the home. Some can release a defensive fluid that may irritate skin, so it is best not to handle them, but they are harmless as household visitors.
Why do millipedes come inside in large numbers?
During very wet weather, drought, or fall migrations, millipedes leave the soil in numbers and wander, entering through gaps along the foundation. They usually dry out and die indoors because it is too dry for them.
How do you get rid of millipedes?
Reduce moisture around the foundation: move mulch, leaves, and debris away from the house, improve drainage and grading, fix damp areas, and seal entry points such as door thresholds and foundation cracks.
Where do millipedes live?
In damp soil, leaf litter, mulch, and under stones, logs, and debris, where they feed on decaying plant matter.
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