We heard from a reader who found a bunch of “worms” on her patio after a rainstorm. The attached picture features a segmented, dark brown creature with a lighter brown head.
We believe that she is not dealing with any type of worm, but rather she has discovered the arthropod commonly known as the millipede! Millipedes prefer humidity and reside in moist soil or leaf litter. They are sometimes found after heavy rain due to the excess water. Millipedes have two legs per segment, and their vast quantity of legs is what makes them so easy to identify! They also have the interesting defense mechanism of curling up when disturbed.
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In conclusion, a reader has found millipedes covering her patio after getting hit with some rain. If she is concerned with getting rid of these creatures, she should gently sweep them back into the grass or soil where they normally live.
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.
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On our back patio every morning we have hundreds most of them in the rolled up form. I clean them up and the next day the same thing again. We have had the patio and foundation sprayed professionally it does not seem to help. I agree they come from the earth the worms will head right for the patio. Help what to do. They are driving me crazy.