How To Control
Millipedes

Millipede

Millipedes normally live in the garden. They are beneficial insects helping with the re-cycling of dead plant material. They don’t hurt anyone. However, sometimes they do find there way inside homes.

If you are worried about millipedes inside your home, there are certainly some tips to reduce their presence. If they do find their way in and you don’t fancy sweeping them up and throwing them back outside, there are a number of products to help you out!

For those living in the southern states of Australia, particularly Victoria and South Australia, you may have been invaded by the black Portuguese millipede…. and these can certainly be more of a nuisance!

It is also important to know the difference between the slow-moving millipede and the fast-moving centipede, as centipedes have a very nasty bite and should not be picked up!

Millipede Identification

Portuguese millipede

What do they look like?

  • They vary in size and colour (depending on species). The Portuguese variety is black and up to 45 mm long.
  • May vary in the number of body segments, but they always have 2 pairs of legs per segment (centipedes have one pair of legs per segment).
  • Young millipedes look just like the adults (only smaller).

Centipede or Millipede?

centipede
  • Millipedes don’t bite and are slow moving. Centipedes are fast moving, with a poisonous bite.
  • Millipedes have a rounded body, with many segments, with two pairs of legs per segment. Centipedes have a flattened body and fewer, larger segments (compared to a millipede), with one part of legs per segment
  • Millipedes are herbivores and eat decaying vegetation. Centipedes are carnivores, mainly eating insects.

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Key Millipede Facts

Group of millipedes under bark
Millipedes live in dark, moist areas, such as leaf litter and under bark
  • They are not insects, although they are members of the Arthropod Phylum, which includes insects and spiders.
  • They generally live outdoors in damp areas such as garden beds.  However, they happily live in damp sub-floors in cardboard boxes.
  • Although they are generally harmless, they can release pungent excretions (to avoid being eaten by birds), which can stain skin and clothes, and irritate eyes.
  • Portuguese millipedes are one of the few varieties attracted to light….. which is why they often invade homes.

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Signs Of A Millipede Infestation

Portuguese millipedes in leaf litter
Portuguese millipede numbers build up in Autumn

For many homeowners, the millipede may only be an occasional invader and are unlikely to experience an infestation. However, for homeowners in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, they can become victim to an invasion of Portuguese millipedes as these can build up in huge numbers in garden beds. An infestation will be apparent when large numbers suddenly appear in the house.

Main Pest Season

The main pest season for Portuguese millipedes is Autumn, when they disperse after mating and the chances of an invasion are highest. However, there can sometimes also be an invasion in Spring. 

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Millipede Prevention Tips

Portuguese millipede climbing wall
Millipedes can crawl up rough surfaces, but not smooth surfaces
  • Keeping the perimeter of the home clear of garden beds and mulch is the best preventative step. However, if this is not possible / desired, non-plant mulch (pebbles) should be used and watering should be kept to a minimum.
  • Potential entry points to the home should be sealed up appropriately and draft excluders / screens should be in good condition.
  • For areas prone to Portuguese millipede invasion, there are some additional tips:
  • Turn off external lights and use curtains / blinds during the season to make your home less attractive
  • Consider using a light trap away from the house as an alternative light source to attract and kill them.
  • Place smooth rounded physical barriers around the perimeter of the home at ground level to prevent them climbing into your home (they cannot climb smooth surfaces).

For more details on preventing a millipede entering your house check out our blog article on how to prevent a millipede home invasion.

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Millipede Control Tips

PestXpert Pro Spray Outdoor Perimeter product
  • They are easily killed with a direct spray of insecticides either with an aerosol or ready to use pump pack.
  • To get rid of millipedes is best achieved by carrying out a perimeter spray with an insecticide, focusing on good coverage at ground level, garden beds and around potential entry points.

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PestXpert Products For Millipedes

  • Pro-Spray Outdoor Perimeter is ideal for the external perimeter and garden beds.
  • Both Pro-Spray Crawling and Pro-Spray Flying aerosols are good options for direct spray onto millipedes and the occasional spot treatment around potential entry points.
  • Pro-Spray Crawling is the best option for longer lasting residual control around the perimeter and outside entry points.

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FAQs About Millipedes

An insecticide treatment to the perimeter of the building (at ground level) and around entry points will help deter millipede entry. However, it is also important to seal any cracks and crevices and have well fitted doors and insect screens / weather strips.

For Portuguese millipedes it is important to keep lights off or have well-fitting curtains, as they are attracted to light.

A good quality insecticide will kill millipedes quite quickly. However, spraying them with insecticide can cause them to release noxious secretions, which can stain surfaces. So, its best to sweep up millipedes inside the house, whilst spraying is OK outside.

No, millipedes don’t bite.

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