Millipedes In North Texas: How To Keep Them Away

When it comes to creepy pests, the millipede is certainly one that will send shivers down your spine. Their odd-looking bodies and many legs are enough to creep anyone out, and it can be rather frightening to find them in our North Texas home. Keep reading to learn how to identify a millipede (as opposed to a centipede) and learn what attracts them to your home in the first place. The more you know about these pests, the more it becomes evident that professional pest control in North Texas is needed to exterminate them from your home for good.

How To Identify Millipedes

While many confuse millipedes with centipedes, Texas millipede identification is pretty simple once you know what to look for. Below are some of the defining characteristics of this unique pest:

Legs: Perhaps the most noticeable part of their body, millipedes have two legs for every segment of their body, while centipedes only have one. Depending on the type of millipede, they can have anywhere from 40 to 400 legs.
Movement: If you aren't sure if that is a centipede or millipede, watch how it moves. The millipede moves slowly and sluggishly, while the centipede is known for being speedy.
Defense mechanisms: Another easily identifiable trait to help you determine if the bug in front of you is a centipede or millipede is to see how it reacts to a trigger. If it curls into a tight ball, that is a millipede. Centipedes will not do that.

There are many species of millipedes around the world, and some can grow to 14 inches long! Fortunately, they only grow to about one to two inches in length here in North Texas.

Are Millipedes In Lee County Venomous?

Another important piece of Texas millipede identification is whether or not the insect bites you. If it bites, it's a centipede. If not, it's a millipede. While it's a plus that millipedes are not known for biting people, they do, however, secrete an odor, infamously called 'millipede smell.' While not necessarily venomous, this millipede smell can pack a punch and cause an allergic reaction in some individuals. If you have been around a millipede and its smell, be cautious of how you feel and if you develop swelling and trouble breathing, seek immediate medical attention. Because millipedes don't bite, they rely on this odor to deflect danger, and it can be painful when on your skin or if it were to get into your eyes.

What Attracts Millipedes To Lee County Homes

At the end of the day, millipedes are just looking for a moist, cool, dark place to live, eat, and reproduce. What drives them into Lee County homes is that outdoors, it often gets extremely hot and dry, which are the opposite of ideal conditions for millipedes to thrive. Below are some of the reasons millipedes may find your house more appealing than others:

Compost piles: Organic matter mashed together to create a cool, moist, and dark area is exactly what these insects are looking for. Having a compost pile at your home is great for the environment, but having it too close to your house could be luring the millipedes closer to your home.
Mulched flower beds: Professional millipede pest control is essential for most homeowners since many of us have mulched flower beds pressed up against our homes. Unfortunately, this mulch is also an ideal environment for millipedes to thrive.
Rotting logs: Many of us have debris in our yards, such as logs and sticks. If these are rotting, it may be rife with millipedes, as it's a dark, cool, moist environment.
Leaf litter: Another reason professional millipede pest control is important is that even a little bit of leaf litter surrounding the foundation of your home could be how these pests are getting so close, eventually finding cracks to crawl through into your house.

Pest control in North Texas can help you figure out what is luring millipedes so close to your home where they eventually can find their way inside.

How To Get Rid Of Millipedes For Good

Because of their ability to cause allergic reactions in people and burn your skin and eyes with their odor, we don't recommend that you try and exterminate millipedes on your own. If you are experiencing a millipede infestation in your Lee County home, call us here at Adam's Exterminating Company! We are a locally owned business serving North Texas and Lee County since 1947. We are intimately familiar with the habits and preferences of pests like millipedes, and our expert technicians have the skills and tools required to safely and effectively exterminate them for good. If millipedes are ruining your garden or crawling around your home, give us a call today and get started on our effective home pest control services.