Pest Guide · Lake of the Ozarks
Centipedes & Millipedes: how they live, why they invade & how to get rid of them
These many-legged crawlers startle people but rarely cause harm. Centipedes are fast predators (a large one can bite defensively, like a bee sting); millipedes are slow and curl into a coil when disturbed. Both show up when it's damp - and both signal a moisture issue worth fixing.
How centipedes & millipedes live
They live outdoors in moist leaf litter, mulch, and soil. Centipedes hunt other insects; millipedes feed on decaying plant matter. When conditions swing - heavy rain or a dry spell, or cooling fall nights - they migrate, and some end up in basements, bathrooms, and crawlspaces looking for moisture.
Why they come into your home
Dampness and their food draw them to the foundation: heavy mulch, leaf litter, and ground cover against the house, plus humid crawlspaces and basements. Fall migrations push large numbers toward warm structures.
Signs of a centipedes & millipedes problem
- Fast centipedes in basements and bathrooms
- Millipedes along the foundation, coiled when disturbed
- Surges indoors after rain or in early fall
- Damp mulch and leaf litter against the house
How to get rid of centipedes & millipedes
Because they're moisture-driven, control pairs a perimeter and interior treatment with drying things out and clearing damp harborage near the foundation. Reducing the mulch, moisture, and other insects they feed on is what keeps them outside where they belong.
How to keep them out
- Pull mulch, leaf litter, and ground cover back from the foundation
- Dehumidify basements and crawlspaces
- Seal gaps at the foundation, doors, and utility lines
- Improve drainage away from the house
- Reduce the insects centipedes hunt
Dealing with centipedes & millipedes at the Lake? All American has treated them since 1971 - local, licensed, and using no-odor products that are safe around kids and pets. We'll identify what you have and put together a plan that actually solves it.
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