Centipedes and millipedes are primarily outdoor creatures that subsist on decaying plant material (millipedes) or small insects and other creatures (centipedes). Neither of these creatures causes damage or disease, nor do they nest and breed indoors. If you find them indoors, it is usually because they’ve simply wandered in from a nearby woody environment. They do not damage food, plants, furniture, or buildings as other more harmful pests do, such as cockroaches, rodents, and flies. Because they require moisture and foods such as organic material or insects to survive, millipedes and centipedes do not live for long or reproduce in homes, as the conditions are generally too dry. Still, the reaction to finding millipedes and centipedes in your home is often one of revulsion, and most people wish to get rid of them and prevent others from finding their way in.
3 Ways to Get Rid of Millipedes and Centipedes
Move Them Outdoors
If you aren’t squeamish about handling the live bugs, scoop up millipedes and centipedes on a sheet of paper or in a cup, then release them outdoors in a wooded area where they can conduct their normal (and beneficial) habits of eating decaying plant material or feasting on small insects.
Kill Them Manually
If centipedes or millipedes are found in the house, you can simply vacuum, sweep up, or crush the bugs. These are not creatures that nest or colonize indoors, so killing them when you occasionally find them is a perfectly good strategy for successful control.
What About Pesticides?
For all but exceptional cases of massive numbers of invading pests, indoor pesticide use is not recommended.
What Causes Millipedes and Centipedes?
These creatures crave moisture, and when they move indoors through cracks in foundations and around ground-level windows, it is usually when outdoor conditions have become hot and dry. Once indoors, millipedes and centipedes often hide in cracks and crevices over winter, emerging in spring.
How to Prevent Millipedes and Centipedes
Preventing millipedes and centipedes indoors is best accomplished by diligently sealing all cracks, holes, and gaps in foundations and keeping window and door frames and sill plates in good repair and properly weather-sealed. Keeping outdoor areas around the house free of leaf litter and brush will reduce outdoor populations. Allow the ground around foundations to dry out thoroughly between waterings of plants and shrubs. Indoors, use a dehumidifier to keep air dry, and keep cardboard boxes and other organic materials away from concrete slabs and floors. If outdoor infestations are severe, you can apply a band of pesticide around the foundation to discourage these bugs from seeking entry into your home. A granular form of lambda-cyhalothrin or permethrin works well for this.
Millipedes vs. Centipedes
Millipedes and centipedes are often confused for one another, but there are distinct differences between these arthropods:
