Millipede (was - what is this insect?)

Amprodude

Hi there,

Recently, my house has become infested with these crawly fcekers. They are coming in through the front door i think? What are they? Why are coming into my house? I see them crawling along the floor inside the house many a time.


How do I get rid of them?



Thanks.

maringo

A centipede extract below off web :eek:

Centipede ("hundred legs") is the common name for any member of the arthropod class Chilopoda, comprising species with long, flattened bodies with many segments, and with one pair of jointed appendages on each segment except the last two. The appendages on the first segment take on the form of jaw-like, venomous claws with poison glands that are used in capturing prey. There are more than 2,500 known species.
Centipedes are typically fast-moving, predatory, terrestrial arthropods that feed on insects (such as flies and cockroaches) and other invertebrates, and even small vertebrates. Chiefly nocturnal, centipedes are found primarily in tropical climates, but are also widely distributed in temperate zones. Some species are highly venomous, but human deaths are very rare.
Centipedes play key roles in food webs. Furthermore, the house centipede, which may be seen as a household pest to be exterminated, actually is one of the most beneficial creatures to inhabit human dwellings, consuming actual household pests like bedbugs, termites, cockroaches, and so forth.
Scientists who study centipedes are called myriapodologists.

Amprodude

maringo wrote: »

A centipede extract below off web :eek:

Centipede ("hundred legs") is the common name for any member of the arthropod class Chilopoda, comprising species with long, flattened bodies with many segments, and with one pair of jointed appendages on each segment except the last two. The appendages on the first segment take on the form of jaw-like, venomous claws with poison glands that are used in capturing prey. There are more than 2,500 known species.
Centipedes are typically fast-moving, predatory, terrestrial arthropods that feed on insects (such as flies and cockroaches) and other invertebrates, and even small vertebrates. Chiefly nocturnal, centipedes are found primarily in tropical climates, but are also widely distributed in temperate zones. Some species are highly venomous, but human deaths are very rare.
Centipedes play key roles in food webs. Furthermore, the house centipede, which may be seen as a household pest to be exterminated, actually is one of the most beneficial creatures to inhabit human dwellings, consuming actual household pests like bedbugs, termites, cockroaches, and so forth.
Scientists who study centipedes are called myriapodologists.

I thought centipedes were more browner in colour? Suppose its another type of them. Why are there swarms of them coming into my house? There has to be a reason?

Mothman

Not a Centipede, but a Millipede.

Don't know specifically how you rid of them, but as you say there is a reason for them to be there, whether its a food source or other environment reason.

kylith

Yep, it's a millipede. You can tell because centipedes have one pair of legs per segment, millipedes have two.

Amprodude

kylith wrote: »

Yep, it's a millipede. You can tell because centipedes have one pair of legs per segment, millipedes have two.

Any chemicals I could use to wipe them out? These fcekers need to go, I don't fancy one crawling up my nose when I'm asleep or anything.

Desmo

It is a millipede ok. Most of them live in leaf litter and under stones and in damp places outdoors. They do not normally thrive indoors. Check around the front door for plant pots or doormats that they could be living under. They are completely harmless and normally just eat dead plant matter. Is the door well sealed around the edges?

Amprodude

Desmo wrote: »

It is a millipede ok. Most of them live in leaf litter and under stones and in damp places outdoors. They do not normally thrive indoors. Check around the front door for plant pots or doormats that they could be living under. They are completely harmless and normally just eat dead plant matter. Is the door well sealed around the edges?

I resealed the front door. Sweeped the place in front of the front door. See how that goes. I am afraid though once they are in my house they will multiply.

tittybiscuits

They're harmless, I used to get them around the front door and they'd come into the hall, but no further. I don't think they'll nest in your house. As others say they won't have a food source there. ..

geordief

I have them for years and used to gather and remove them at night which is when they are active.

However I was never able to make a dent in the population (the door doesn't seal well, and I also store logs for burning in the house).

The most harm they ever did me was when I mistook them for a pest in the veg garden and began crushing them with my fingers when I saw them.

Their bodies must contain some quite strong chemicals since my eyes (which I was carelessly rubbing with my contaminated fingers) became irritated and only recovered once I stopped bothering with them.

I understand that they do no harm in the garden.

Desmo

Amprodude wrote: »

I resealed the front door. Sweeped the place in front of the front door. See how that goes. I am afraid though once they are in my house they will multiply.

Very unlikely to do well indoors.

Desmo

geordief wrote: »

I have them for years and used to gather and remove them at night which is when they are active.

However I was never able to make a dent in the population (the door doesn't seal well, and I also store logs for burning in the house).

The most harm they ever did me was when I mistook them for a pest in the veg garden and began crushing them with my fingers when I saw them.

Their bodies must contain some quite strong chemicals since my eyes (which I was carelessly rubbing with my contaminated fingers) became irritated and only recovered once I stopped bothering with them.

I understand that they do no harm in the garden.

Some of them secrete cyanide as a deterrent/safety mechanism.

Des

Amprodude

tittybiscuits wrote: »

They're harmless, I used to get them around the front door and they'd come into the hall, but no further. I don't think they'll nest in your house. As others say they won't have a food source there. ..

Well I am finding at least 3-5 in my house a day. There is prob 3x that that i havent found. Outside the house there are armies of them appearing from nowhere especially at night. I go around clearing them each time but it is annoying at this stage. My house is clean by the way. Two cans of insect killer spray used already and they are still around.