It is estimated that there are over 7,000 millipede species in the world. Some millipedes are as long as 8.5 feet! The millipedes you're most likely to find getting into your Texas home or business are garden millipedes. They don't grow anywhere near that long. A typical garden millipede is only about one inch in length.
While its name means thousand-legger, garden millipedes don't have that many legs—not even close. Most have only 15 pairs of legs. Each pair is on its segment of the body, and the millipede grows these segments as they develop.
A millipede has three main life stages: egg, nymph, and adult. When the eggs hatch, cream-colored nymphs emerge. Most nymphs have three body segments. This means they have three pairs of legs. Over time, they grow into hard-shelled, dark-colored, multilegged bugs crawling on our floors, walls, and ceilings.
The overall shape of a millipede is cylindrical and elongated. Its little legs wiggle underneath it when it walks, propelling it across the ground. When threatened, a millipede rolls up in a curled half-moon shape. - not accurate, needs to be rewritten
A millipede eats detritus, waste material. While detritus can be any waste or debris, like rubble and broken bricks, millipedes only eat organic detritus. Their favorite meals are decomposing leaf litter, bark, moisture-softened wood, decaying plants, stems and roots, fungi, and algae. Since they eat organic matter, they are generally considered beneficial animals. They act as the sanitation engineers of nature's wild kingdom.
A millipede will live where food is available. Since they eat decaying organic matter, the factors that attract them are factors that lead to organic decay.
Along with these, some millipedes are attracted to light. Keeping lights off at night can deter millipedes, but this is not a guaranteed solution.
Millipedes are commonly mistaken for centipedes. This is likely since both creatures have many legs, but it is easy to tell them apart. The legs of a millipede shoot straight down underneath them, while the legs of a centipede shoot out on each side. You can also tell them apart by the number of legs they have. A millipede will likely have 60 legs or more, while a centipede will have around 30. A centipede also has a notable feature that a millipede does not have: pincer-like appendages called forcipules on the end of its body.
Millipedes are sometimes harmful. While millipedes primarily feed on decaying plants, they can feed on sprouting seeds, seedlings, strawberries, and other ripening fruits that touch the ground. The potential for harm to plants grows as millipedes become numerous and must compete for available food.
As for whether or not millipedes pose any threat to humans, the health risks associated with them are minimal. In most cases, there is no harm when a person comes in contact with a millipede, but certain millipedes excrete a defensive liquid that can irritate the skin and burn the eyes. Fortunately, even this is only minimally harmful. The primary issue for humans is that millipedes grow large populations and can migrate indoors during unfavorable outdoor conditions.
For assistance eliminating millipedes, contact Marathon Pest Control. Our locally owned and operated pest control company provides home pest control services in The Woodlands and surrounding areas that eliminate and prevent infestations of millipedes and other house-infesting pests.
Millipedes can come indoors repeatedly. A successful strategy for keeping them out includes the following:
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