Millipedes Control

How to get rid of Millipedes Millipede and centipede invasions have long been a problem for many homeowners. Although these invasions seem more likely to occur in the spring and after heavy rains, they have been reported in every month of the calendar year.

Thousands of migratory millipedes can create a mess. Once they die, expect a smell that can last for several weeks. Centipedes have been known to do the same, but usually in much smaller numbers. This article will try to provide some information about these pests, why they are a problem and how you can treat for them.

There are over 1000 species of millipedes in the United States. They are slow crawling, appear to have hundreds of legs and generally gray to light brown in color. Most species take 1-2 years to reach reproductive maturity and can live 5-10 years.

They love to live in decomposing thatch, leaves and mulch. They will get nutrition from these locations and may choose a root system of a nearby plant on which to feed. When they breed, the eggs hatch larva which will feed right where they emerge. This leads to large populations or nests which can number in the hundreds.

They will remain feeding as long as there is a food supply to support the nest. This could be for a year or two but at some point expect a migration. Excessive rain, drought or lack of food will cause them to migrate. This phenomenon can occur at any time of the year and may result in several thousand moving in a direction that is in line with your home. The author has dealt with several infestations of millipedes that have numbered in the hundreds of thousands.

One customer had so many he used a gas powered blower to round up all the dead ones and 14 Hefty bags to haul them away! This happened over a three day period, but if he didn't have the right materials or know how to use them, he would have had a mess in his home. Other infestations have lead to thousands stacking up or climbing the side of a house.

The migrating millipedes will reach a certain height and simply stop. It is unsure why they do this but it will lead to huge numbers accumulating and a nasty smell when they die. Centipedes like to live in the same environment as millipedes. There are two common species of centipede in the United States. The common house centipede has long antennae and 15 pair of long legs. They are able to move rapidly and will randomly stop and go when on the move. The other centipede is a larger and longer specimen. Most common in the south, this centipede can grow to over 5 inches long. Like millipedes, centipedes are slow to develop. They like moist areas to live including mulch, pinestraw, thatch, leaves and under rocks or logs. The big difference is that centipedes like to eat other insects.

In fact, centipedes have a poisonous bite. Do not handle them. Like scorpions, their sting will hurt like a wasp or bee sting. However, certain people may have extreme allergic reaction to their venom so keeping your hands off them will prevent you from finding out if you are overly sensitive. Centipedes are one of the few predators which feed on spiders. They prefer to move at night, but like millipedes will migrate under certain conditions. It is not uncommon to have several of them migrate when water levels rise following a rain. Centipede nests may harbor several hundred and when they migrate they seem to move in the same direction. This will lead to infestations in the home if left untreated.

Controlling millipedes and centipedes can involve a series of steps. The first is identifying nest sights. This will allow you to minimize the conditions these pests need which will lead to less getting inside. Look to see where they are invading. In most cases, you will find them along one side or wall of your home. Look around this side of the property. Inspect nearby mulch, compost piles, wood piles, large rocks, pinestraw, sheds, cracks in cement walkways or driveways and stoops. Any of these locations can breed, feed and shelter these pests. If you know where they are coming from, you will be able to treat the area precisely and even remove excessive organic matter available for them. Clean up leaves. Replace old straw that is decomposed. Move log piles away from the home. Seal cracks in cement which allow water to gather. Rake thatch buildup from your lawn. By reducing these conditions, you take away food and harborage these pests need for survival. Lastly, if you have a lot of access points through the siding of the home, you should consider a "seal" job. Most homes that get invaded have lots and lots of small cracks, crevices and gaps through which millipedes enter. These entry points should be reduced and/or eliminated with the use of some FOAM SEALENT. These cans are self charged and good for small jobs. If you have a lot of work to do, it would be wise to invest in one of the professional FOAM GUNS and maybe even the 24" FOAM GUN. These tools will enable you to apply the sealent quickly and precisely without much waste or missed applications. In other words, they will more then pay for themselves. You'll need the FOAM CANNISTERS for these guns, which easily fit on either applicator, and cover a much larger area then the smaller cans. If your home is prone to animal invasions, consider the FOAM WITH REPELLENT. This cannister comes with expanding foam but includes a strong repellent which insects and animals do not like. It may be just what you need to make sure ladybugs and other undesirable home invaders aren't able to find their way inside quite as easily as they have in the past. Be sure to keep your guns clean by using some FOAM GUN CLEANER. This will help keep the gun functioning and ready to go to work when next needed. Once you have done step one, you can treat the problem.

Step two is deciding which method of control you need to employ to stop the invasion. Millipedes and centipedes are not insects. Although many insecticides have millipedes and centipedes on their labels, most don't work well for controlling a migration.

If you want to stop them quickly and keep them from getting into your home, use a product called Demand CS. Although this pesticide has been available for some time, it hasn't lost any of it's ability to work great on either millipedes or centipedes. It works well because the liquid form is a micro encapsulate. This means it is essentially a bunch of small capsules which will open over time. Because they too big to sink into porous surfaces they are able to provide much longer protection than normal liquid concentrates. The same is true with the wettable powder form of Cyfluthrin. It won't sink into porous surfaces so it is able to provide much longer protection where millipedes or centipedes are active. Although you can use it inside, treating outside will keep them from coming in. Spray around the home using one of the SPRAYERS we offer. Be sure to treat on the foundation spraying a deliberate swath at least three feet up from the ground. Go as high as you have them crawling on the home to kill what is there and stop new ones from re infesting. It is most common that one or two sides of the house will have the most activity. Be sure to concentrate your efforts where the activity is. Since both pests like to live adjacent to the foundation, it is recommended that you treat the ground around the home as well. Pay attention to the plants, shrubs and root systems of plants. Spray around the trunks and the ground of any plant you think may have a nest. Watering after you spray will help the product to sink down and work it's way deep to where nests may be feeding.

If you simply have too much mulch or turf area to treat with liquid, use BIFEN GRANULES. This product is a granule material which works by killing as well as repelling these pests. Broadcast the granules into mulch or turf that you think is infested. The GRANULE SPREADER applicator is easy to use and will let you get even and uniform coverage when making the application. The granules are weather resistant and will last longer than the spray. The granules won't work as quickly as the spray, but they will enable you to treat large areas economically and effectively. If you have a lot of activity in the home, you may use the Demand CS inside. If you believe the nests may are behind walls or in hard to treat cracks, BAYGON AEROSOL is designed to let you treat these areas. It uses Baygon as the active ingredient and with it's special tube injector, you will be able to get into tight cracks and joints these pests like to hide. Centipedes are most likely to nest in the home and will thrive in moist basements or crawl spaces. From these areas they will move into wall voids. Use the Baygon aerosol for neat and penetrating applications.

Having a BUG VACUUM around can help; it works very well for Centipedes but not so good on millipedes. It will allow you to quickly remove centipedes without getting stung. Step three is the ongoing maintenance of watching and making sure to minimize nest locations. By stopping the nests from being able to develop, you are stopping the invasions which would undoubtedly follow. In most cases, homes which experience migrations are more likely to have it happen again. In fact, most people believe the migration to be a "freakish" occurrence that doesn't need to be attended to. The fact of the matter is that millipedes and centipedes take a long time to develop. This period of development may be several years before enough have matured to migrate. Once they begin to move and relocate or die, the cycle is forced to start again. Don't expect to see any for a year or more. However, next time could be a lot worse if left untreated. Millipedes and centipedes are not insects but are considered pests. They like to live in the same area but do not eat the same food. If left untreated, populations can build up and lead to mass migrations. These migrations can infest your home with messy, smelly dead bodies that seem to get everywhere. To stop them from coming inside, treat with Demand CS. If you have large turf or mulch areas where you think they may be living, treat with Bifen Granules for better coverage. If you have them in the walls, Baygon Aerosol is easy to use and will reach deep into the voids they like to live.