Millipede Treatment
How Do I Identify A Millipede Infestation?
Appearance - Millipedes are small and brown, approximately 3 centimeters long. The can sometimes be mistaken for small worms, but do have many small legs.
Behavior - Millipedes tend to make their presence known just by casually walking across your floor, hanging on the side of your home or seeking shelter in the grass and leaves nearby. Before spotting a millipede, you may start to notice that the tops of your plants are being damaged or the stems are being eaten. Although many different pests may do this type of damage to vegetations, most likely you will see millipedes nearby and catch the culprit red-handed.
Why Could I Have Millipedes?
Millipedes seek shelter in damp and wooded areas. Even if you do not have a yard that offers this type of environment, you may have a basement or unfinished space within the property that they find just fine for living and breeding. They like to live near fresh vegetation to feed on.
Why Should I Treat My Millipede Problem Immediately?
If you see one millipede, you can assume there are more nearby. A millipede infestation left untreated can lead to unfavorable situations such as many crawling on your floors or swarms crawling up the sides of your home or in the grass outside.
While millipedes pose no threat to you or your family, having too many of any pest can be a daunting and annoying situation. Our goal is to provide millipede control to your home to get rid of millipedes and keep them away for good.
How to Get Rid of Millipedes
Millipedes and centipedes are often mistaken for one another. However, the two pests are quite different. Millipedes do not bite or spread disease. They are not predators like centipedes either. In fact, millipedes are scavengers. They prefer decomposing material.
Even though millipedes are not dangerous or destructive, their appearance can creep people out. Plus, you do not want an infestation of any insect, including harmless ones like millipedes in your home. Keep reading to learn how to spot and solve a millipede problem.
How Do I Spot a Millipede Problem?
Spotting a millipede issue is the first step towards controlling the pests. Here are a few signs that you have a millipede infestation.
- You see a lot of millipedes.
The best way to know that you have a millipede problem is to spot the pest. They are often mistaken for centipedes. Both centipedes and millipedes have many pairs of legs. Millipedes have shorter legs. They are around 2.5-4 cm in length. They are often brown and have a worm-like shape. There are two pairs of legs for each body segment on a millipede. This contrasts with the one pair per segment on a centipede.
Millipedes prefer damp locations. They will likely be seen scurrying away from light in basements, cracks in your home's foundation, crawlspaces, or any other dark, damp area.
- You smell something bad or see staining on fabrics.
Millipedes can secrete a bad-smelling liquid. This either occurs when they are threatened or if they are crushed. The liquid will stain fabrics. The stains will be small, circular, and yellow or brown.
How Do I Get Rid of Millipedes?
Millipedes often end up in homes through cracks or crevices in the foundation. In there are a lot of piles of wet, rotting material near your home, it is possible to have a millipede infestation. Your best bet for prevention is to keep the area near your home clear of rotting material and any cracks in the foundation filled in.
However, if you end up with a millipede problem, here are a few ways to deal with it.
- Apply insecticides to baseboards and interior areas of your home.
Insecticides designed for interior use could help with prevention and getting rid of millipedes. Make sure to follow the instructions on the bottle. You will also want to keep pets and children away from the treated areas.
Insecticides applied to mulched areas outside your home will not be as effective. However, the interior insecticides may work to control the millipede problem inside your home.
- Use a vacuum.
If you just want to remove the existing millipedes in your home, you may try a vacuum. Keep in mind that millipedes can run very fast. They may be hard to catch with a vacuum or broom. Yet, this could be a good way to get rid of existing insects, especially if the problem is not very large. - Contact a professional millipede removal company.
Large millipede infestations will require professional help. Visit GoLocal Pest Control to find the best exterminators in your area. We give you options, so you can choose the best millipede removal company available.
How to Prevent Millipedes
Millipedes are less of a pest than centipedes. However, they still have a very scary appearance. They can also damage soft-stemmed plants. Too many millipedes is also a disgusting problem to have to deal with. You don't want hundreds of millipedes infesting your home. Instead, try the prevention suggestions listed in this article. They can help you keep your millipede population outside.
Why Do I Have Millipedes?
Millipedes are scavengers like prefer to live in humid, moist conditions. They are especially found in wet environments. In our yards that means they will live in compost piles, near decomposing material, or under logs. They are attracted to our homes for several reasons.
- The home has its preferred environment.
Unless the millipede lives in a moist environment, it will die. In fact, most millipedes only last a few days indoors because they get too dry. This is good news for millipede control. However, if your home has moist environments, you could end up with a big millipede problem. Basements, crawlspaces, bathrooms, and laundry rooms can all provide the environment a millipede needs to thrive. - The home is warmer than outside.
Millipedes are often attracted to our homes as the weather gets colder. They will seek out our homes in search of warmth and shelter. Periods of drought and too much rain can also cause millipedes to enter houses.
How Do I Prevent Millipedes?
The best way to prevent millipedes is to deny them the moist environment they need. Most homes are too dry for a millipede to survive. If you fix any leaks immediately, that will help to prevent this pest. Focus especially on areas of your home that are prone to moisture. Basement leaks or broken water pipes are two of the most common causes of millipede problems. Keep your home dry, and you won't have millipedes.
Here are a few other millipede prevention tips.
- Keep decaying and rotting material out of your yard.
Millipedes live where there is decomposing material. If there is not much of that material in your yard, they will not be around your home. This makes it much less likely that they will infest. Put compost piles at the back of your property or secure them with a lid. You should also pick up any piles of leaves, rotting wood, or other old, slimy material. - Vacuum up any millipedes you see in your home.
If you see a millipede in your home, the best thing is to vacuum it. They are not harmful pests. So, you don't have to worry about getting close to them. But you do have to worry about them laying eggs. You don't want a bunch of millipedes to hatch in your home. - Contact a good millipede removal service.
By far, the best thing you can do to prevent millipedes is to contact a good exterminator. They can help you solves any current millipede infestation. They can also provide help preventing any future millipede problems. Use GoLocal Pest Control's database to find the best company in your area. It doesn't matter where in the country you live; we have options for you.
What Do Millipedes Look Like?
Millipedes and centipedes are often mistaken for one another. They have a very similar name, so you may think that millipedes look exactly like centipedes, they just have more legs. That is actually not accurate. Millipedes and centipedes are both arthropods, but they look extremely different. You can read our centipede description on the centipede page.
As a pest millipedes primarily live in wet locations. They will not survive long without moisture. So your basements, bathrooms, and laundry rooms will often be targeted. A lot of pests prefer these locations. Knowing what millipedes look like will help you determine what pest is invading the wet areas of your home. This information ensures you take the right pest prevention methods.
How Many Species of Millipede Are There?
The term millipede does not just describe a single arthropod., There are around 7,000 known species of millipede. In the United States and Canada alone, there are 1,400 species.
Millipedes are an amazing group of invertebrates. They can live almost anywhere. In fact, millipedes are found in every state. This even includes Hawaii and Alaska. Millipedes also appear in the two U.S. territories, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Often the biggest difference between these millipede species is their size. Millipedes can range from just an inch in length to more than five inches in length. All millipede species have a similar appearance, though. This helps in identification. It doesn't matter how long they are; you will be able to tell you are looking at a millipede.
What Do Millipedes Look Like?
Even though there are thousands of millipede species in the United States, they all look similar. Therefore, we can describe the millipede generally, and you will always be able to identify them, no matter the species.
Millipedes are arthropods. That means they are invertebrates that have an exoskeleton. They also have a segmented body and jointed appendages (or legs). Other arthropods include scorpions, crabs, and butterflies. Centipedes are also arthropods.
Millipedes are distinct from other arthropods because they have two pairs of legs on each of their body segments. They do not actually have a thousand legs as their name implies. Instead, the number of legs each millipede has depends on its size and number of body segments. The most legs ever discovered on a millipede was 750.
The body of the millipede is either brown or black. It is rounded like a worm. In fact, millipedes look a lot like worms with legs. Their body shape gives them a wavy and fluid way of walking. They are much slower than centipedes, who tend to race around your home.
Millipedes prefer to live under decaying or rotting plant material. They need a damp environment to survive. They really prefer to stay outdoors. However, if they make it into your home, you need the best millipede removal around. At GoLocal Pest Control, we can help you find the top exterminator near you. Contact us today to learn more.
How to Find an Exterminator to Help with Millipedes
Millipedes are not dangerous pests. But they sure do look scary. With their two pairs of legs per body segment, a millipede doesn't actually have 1000 legs. But, they can have multiple hundred legs. No one wants this insect scurrying around their bathroom or basement. Additionally, millipedes can potentially damage plants in your home.
If you live in a damp area, you might be more prone to millipede problems. But millipedes can show up at any time. An exterminator can help you protect against a millipede infestation.
What Should I Look for in a Millipede Exterminator?
To truly get rid of millipede problems, you need a good exterminator. That means contacting companies in your local area and interviewing them to find the best one. Obviously, you are not a millipede expert. But there are a few questions you can ask that will help you determine whether to hire a specific pest removal company.
- What is your experience with millipedes?
- What is the worst millipede infestation your company has had to treat?
- What types of millipede treatments do you offer?
- What actions do you take to ensure the millipede infestation is not recurring?
- Is your millipede treatment toxic?
- What should I do with myself and my pets while you work?
What Should I Expect from Millipede Exterminators?
It is always good to be prepared. That is why you need to know what to expect after your hire an exterminator.
The first thing that will happen is the inspection. This process allows the technicians to determine the source of your millipede problem. They will find the entry points for the pest as well as the worst affected locations.
The next step is the treatment. It should consist of two parts for millipedes: inside and outside. The inside treatment will remove the actual millipedes. It will usually involve insecticides. The outside treatment may also involve insecticides but is aimed at the outside of your home. The technician will attempt to create a protective barrier around your home. This way no millipedes make it back inside.
Finally, the technicians may schedule a follow-up visit. This is not standard throughout the industry, however. So, if you want a follow-up appointment, make sure to talk to your technician about that.
How Do I Find an Exterminator to Help with Millipedes?
The best way to remove a millipede infestation is to hire a local pest control service. Local is always better in pest control. Local companies provide more individualized services to their customers. They look at your problem as unique, instead of part of a cookie-cutter treatment plan.
When you begin looking for the best millipede exterminator in your area, contact GoLocal Pest Control. Our location finder has the information of hundreds of exterminators from all over the country. No matter where you live, you can have the best help with millipedes. Contact us or visit our website today to learn more about our process.