Millipedes invade Michigan homes for different reasons at different times of the year. Often millipedes overwinter in houses in Michigan. They become pests when they enter your home, and the temperatures drop. Millipedes hide inside your home until the temperature rises. That’s why you shouldn’t be surprised to see millipedes around your Michigan house.
Once millipedes infest your house, you must get rid of them before they start laying hundreds of eggs, resulting in an even large infestation. If you don’t get rid of these pests quickly, you might face an out-of-control millipedes infestation in your Michigan house.
Like many other pests, millipedes are common in Michigan. The good news is millipedes aren’t dangerous, but they can still be annoying inside the house. Fortunately, these creatures aren’t nearly as bad as many other pests, such as termites, bed bugs, fleas, and roaches. In Michigan, millipedes are more of a nuisance.
Many millipedes are in Michigan, and most are attracted to houses with high humidity.
When dealing with Michigan millipedes and other pests like bed bugs, cockroaches, termites, fleas, ants, and spiders, it’s best to get rid of them soon. Use effective preventative measures to keep them out of your house. And if millipedes invade your home, you most likely want to know: “How to get rid of millipedes?”
Millipedes can be hard to get rid of when they invade your house in large numbers. When dealing with a millipedes invasion, you must figure out what attracts these pests to your Michigan house. Generally, millipedes enter the house in search of shelter or moisture. So, getting rid of them is easy if you get rid of the excess humidity.
Fix plumbing leaks, ventilation, and drainage. Patch updrafts, and buy a few dehumidifiers to keep humidity low. All of these preventative measures should make your home less attractive to millipedes.
Getting rid of Michigan millipedes is simple. Collect them and remove them from the house. If you don’t want to touch them, you can use a broom or a vacuum cleaner. But don’t squash them because they can emit a foul odor that might trigger an allergic reaction.
Quick Facts About Millipedes in Michigan
Millipedes cause no damage to the house, and they don’t spread diseases like cockroaches and don’t damage your house like termites. And millipedes will never try to take over your house as ants try on occasion.
Their bodies are cylindrical. They are mostly black, brown, or black, but you might see some orange or red. Millipedes feed on rotting, decaying organic matter such as rotting leaves and wood. Under the right circumstances, a millipede can live up to seven years.
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Michigan Millipedes: Overview
Millipedes are nuisance pests in Michigan. As long as they stay in your garden, they can be beneficial. These pests are attracted to moist places and occasionally wander into houses, similar to earwigs.
The name “millipede” means “thousand legs,” but millipedes never have that many legs. In fact, millipedes have about 90 pairs of legs, which is still impressive but not one thousand.
Are there millipedes in Michigan?
There are millipedes in Michigan. The millipedes species found in Michigan are:
- North American millipede (Narceus americanus)
- Greenhouse millipede (Orthomorpha gracilis)
- Yellow Banded millipede
- Red Rusty millipede
Why do I have millipedes in my Michigan house?
Millipedes often look for moisture or shelter in Michigan houses. You may find these harmless pests in dark or quiet parts of the house.
Although millipedes are naturally attracted to damp, dark places, you might find them in your home in Michigan. But, mostly, you will find them in areas with decaying organic matter.
Mulch piles, leaf piles, compost, and rotting logs are common millipedes hiding places. They favor quiet, moist areas in the house like bathrooms, attics, basements or near your washing machine.
How to get rid of millipedes in Michigan?
The best way to get rid of Michigan millipedes is to keep them out of the house. You can stop millipedes from getting into your house by sealing cracks, crevices and openings. They often get into the house around the foundation, plumbing, and wiring, so pay close attention to these areas.
Another way to get rid of millipedes in Michigan is to use dehumidifiers. Since millipedes are attracted to moist places, keeping the air dry in your house will keep these pests out. If you don’t have a dehumidifier, you can use fans for the same purpose.
The moisture from any leaks will attract millipedes, so it’s best to repair leaky pipes of faucets to keep these creepy crawlers out of the house.
You can get rid of millipedes by removing the food source. Since they feed on decaying organic matter, such as rotting wood and leaves, you should clean out organic debris from gutters. A clean gutter will drain correctly, making it less attractive to millipedes.
Remove piled-up woodpiles or mulch that store moisture and attract these pests, and keep your yard clean by regularly removing dead plants.
How to get rid of millipedes in my Michigan house?
You can easily get rid of millipedes in your house in Michigan if you seal and caulk cracks and crevices, create a bug barrier, remove their hiding place, keep the gutters free of decaying organic matter, and repair leaky pipes and faucets.
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How to get rid of millipedes naturally?
You can get rid of millipedes naturally using diatomaceous earth. It is a fine, chalk-like powder, which is nothing more than the fossilized remains of single-celled aquatic microorganisms.
Diatomaceous earth is found naturally and used as an organic insecticide. It effectively eliminates millipedes and other pests such as roaches, ants, bed bugs, earwigs, spiders, silverfish, slugs, snails, and fleas.
Boric acid is another way to get rid of millipedes naturally. It’s causing millipedes to dehydrate slowly. But you shouldn’t use boric acid around children and pets.
Are millipedes in Michigan poisonous?
Michigan millipedes are not poisonous. This worm-like pest has glands that can produce irritating fluids that may cause an allergic reaction in some people.
Are Michigan millipedes pests or not?
Millipedes can become pests if they invade your house, but they aren’t particularly harmful. Unlike cockroaches, termites, ants, bed bugs, fleas, and mosquitoes, millipedes are pretty harmless, even if they get inside your house.
Millipedes don’t sting, bite, contaminate food, transmit diseases, poison or destroy the wood structure of your house.
Types of Millipedes in Michigan
Of the close to 1000 species of millipedes in the U.S., many of them live in Michigan. The North American millipede (Narceus americanus) is the most common millipede in Michigan and many other parts of the United States. Although it won’t stay alive long inside your house, you might find Greenhouse millipedes in your Michigan home.
How to get rid of millipedes in the bathroom?
You can manually remove millipedes from the bathroom. Don’t squish them since they might release a foul odor. To remove millipedes, use a broom and a dustpan. Another option is to vacuum them up.
What attracts millipedes to your Michigan house?
Moisture attracts millipedes to your house. Millipedes could enter your home when weather conditions aren’t ideal outside. They can invade your house in large numbers via expansion joints, cracks, crevices, wall voids, or doorways.
Millipedes don’t stay alive in a house long. Your house doesn’t have enough moisture to keep millipedes alive for longer than a day or two. If millipedes infest your home, it may be a sign that they are breeding close to your house.
How to get rid of millipedes in the bedroom?
You can get rid of millipedes in the bedroom. The easiest way to eliminate millipedes from your bedroom is to either vacuum or sweep them up with a broom and a dustpan.
Are Michigan millipedes dangerous?
The people who live in Michigan don’t have to worry about the dangers of millipedes. Millipedes are not dangerous to humans, but their defensive fluids are unpleasant. Some people have reported skin irritation when handling millipedes.
Luckily millipedes don’t bite like fleas, contaminate your food like ants, carry disease-causing bacteria like cockroaches, or feed on the wood frame of your house. What’s more, millipedes don’t bite or sting, making them one of the most harmless garden pests around the house.
Are millipedes harmful to dogs?
Millipedes aren’t harmful to dogs because they aren’t toxic and don’t bite or sting. But the foul smell from the crushed body of millipedes could result in an allergic reaction or discomfort in dogs.
