MILLIPEDES aka Diplopoda

The following information was largely provided by Massey Pest Control, our POA vendor for pest control.

DESCRIPTION, HABITS & CHARACTERISTICS

Millipedes, sometimes misreferred to as caterpillars, are not insects. Contrary to their name, millipedes do not have 1000 legs. Their class name Diplopoda is more accurate – they have two pairs of legs on each body segment. Most millipedes possess 30-40 body segments, bringing the average number of legs to a total of only 120 -160 legs. Millipedes eat decaying plant matter, search for food with their antennae, chew up food with a single pair of Jaws, and when frightened, curl into tight spring-like coils. Tropical millipedes are the most common in the Southeast. They breed in the thatch of lawns and under leaves and garden debris. They do NOT have venomous fangs.

MORE INFORMATION

Although millipedes may proliferate around homes and drop into swimming pools by the dozens, they do not cause any damage, and their soil conversion activities greatly outweigh any nuisance they may cause. These Diplopods become more visible when high moisture levels create an environment overly conducive to their development. Homeowners usually notice them after periods of very high rainfall. Their annoying presence disturbs homeowners who are not familiar with the temporary indoor millipede migration.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Drying out the yard will kill the majority of millipedes. Removing excess organic debris and excess mulch can also remove the actual breeding sites. These practices will help dry out their nesting areas.  In Florida this sometimes becomes difficult due to heavy late day thunderstorms.  We also suggest sealing the bases of doors and rolling glass doors very tightly to prevent millipedes from coming inside.  As doors and windows age, the grommets and seals tend to shrink just enough for a number of small pests to enter. You may try caulking, replacing door sweeps or adding weather-stripping to potential entry points.  

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

Millipede activity inside a home or structure is a temporary situation associated with the excess moisture conditions outside. Any millipedes that find their way inside a home through gaps or cracks will quickly die from desiccation (i.e., lack of moisture).  Millipedes never breed indoors. If you find millipedes that have entered a home, just vacuum them up. Spraying millipedes with insecticides will rarely kill them.  Residual liquid sprays and granules are generally ineffective against these pests because of their hard exoskeletons. They will not feed on granules and any indoor insecticide activity will be greatly delayed due to the long-term absorption necessary through their hard crunchy bodies.  As our Florida thunderstorm season ends, we expect this situation to self-correct.