It's Millipede Time

 

Our Garden Helpline receives lots of calls in mid-summer about worm-like insects showing up all over the place outdoors and coming indoors. They want to know what to do. These are usually millipedes.

What is a millipede?

A millipede is a segmented, worm-like insect found throughout Pennsylvania. It lives under leaves, rocks, boards and other cool, moist places. It is sometimes called a wire worm because of its wire-like shape but it isn’t the wire worm.

Millipedes are brown or black and each body segment has two pairs of short legs. They are usually ¼ to 1 inch long. Considered beneficial insects, they feed on damp and decaying vegetable matter, basically recycling organic matter. They like cool, damp areas can often be seen near lose connections, downspouts or other moist areas.

Why are we seeing so many now?

A Penn State Entomological Report notes that millipedes will migrate from their normal living spots especially following heavy rains and may show up in window wells, basements or other cool damp places. Even dry weather and excessive heat can move them. Millipedes usually stay outdoors where the organic material can be found. Occasionally they show up in large numbers but they don’t do damage.

What can you do?

Millipedes that come inside are there because their GPS is on the fritz. They only live a few days indoors and don’t bite or sting. They are only icky and/or a nuisance indoors and don’t do damage.

If they do come into an indoor area, escort them outside – i.e. vacuum (dump the bag outside immediately after) or sweep them into a dust pan to remove

Prevention

Eliminating moist hiding places around the home will discourage millipedes. Outdoors, this includes removing rotting wood and decaying grass and leaves from around a home’s foundation. This also eliminates millipede food sources.

 If there is excessive moisture in sub­floor crawl spaces or basements, take measures to dry out these areas. To discourage millipedes in garden areas, reduce mulch and other organic matter and avoid excessive moisture.

~Carol Kagan, Franklin County Master Gardener