One of our readers found a few possibly dead millipedes in her home. She sent us a few pictures and she said she was not sure if they were millipedes or if it was a type of casing that was left by another type of worm-like creature. She did mention that she lives in an elevated home with a three-foot crawlspace. After looking at these pictures, these could possibly be dead millipedes, carpet beetle larva or their molted skin.

The first picture that our reader sent to us looks very much like a dead millipede because its body is all curled up which happens when millipedes die. Millipedes also curl up like this when they are hiding from predators or resting. Millipedes are usually brown, red, or black in color and it appears that our reader could possibly have found some in her home.

Here are the pictures:

It is very likely that our reader has found dead millipedes in her home and they more than likely got into her home through the crawl space. Millipedes like to live in dark spaces under homes. They were probably in her home for a short time and then died where she found them.

Another possibility is that our reader has found carpet beetle larvae or their casts. The second picture that our reader sent looks like the molting phase of carpet beetle larvae. This happens in the life cycle of carpet beetles and they will leave the casts in random places in the home.

Although it is very possible that our reader has found dead millipedes, there is always the possibility that it could be carpet beetle larvae castings. More than likely however, these are millipedes that came up through the crawlspace and died shortly after.

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