One of our readers sent us the photo featured on this post and explained that she has noticed these creatures in her home lately. Specifically, she has seen them in both the kitchen and bedrooms of her home. Our reader wonders what these worm-like organisms are, and how she can get rid of them.
After examining the photograph our reader included, we are pleased to inform her that the creature is millipede. Although they are sometimes mistaken for worms, millipedes are actually arthropods, not worms. Centipedes are also arthropods, and they too are confused with millipedes from time to time. Millipedes are segmented creatures that have two pairs of jointed legs per segment. Spotting their legs is the easiest way to identify a millipede, however sometimes they tuck their legs up into their body so they are hard to see. If their legs are hidden, millipedes can also be identified by their brown coloring and two antennae on their anterior end.
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Millipedes are scavengers that live in leaf liter and prefer damp, dark environments. They eat decaying wood particles and leaf remains, and sometimes living plants if they don’t have access to their ideal food sources. While millipedes thrive in the outdoors, they struggle to find a suitable environment inside a house. When they do end up in a house, it is often by accident. Since our reader has discovered multiple millipedes in her home, they are probably all entering through the same place. This could be a window or door that is left open or is not properly sealed. More likely, it is a vent or other opening in the basement, which is similar to the dark and damp environment that these arthropods prefer. We suggest our reader investigate for any potential entry points for these specimens and have them sealed. We believe this will prevent future millipedes from entering her home.
To conclude, a reader discovered a few brown specimens crawling around her home. We believe these are millipedes.
All About Worms is always free, always reader-supported, we don't subject you to ads or annoying video pop-ups. But it does cost us money out of our pocket to keep the site going (nearly 20 years so far!) So your tips via CashApp, Venmo, or Paypal are appreciated! Receipts will come from ISIPP Publishing.