Centipedes or millipedes in the apartment: what to do?

For many, it's a downright horror idea: centipedes or millipedes in the apartment. Even if the specimens living in this country cannot be dangerous to humans, they still cause a certain disgust. You just don't want the many-legged crawlers in your four walls. The animals are quite useful here. Their presence is very likely to indicate other insect problems in the house. Priority should be given to working on them.

Millipedes in the apartment

Millipedes and their hundred-footed relatives belong to the so-called Arthropoda, so they are arthropods. Although there are also highly poisonous species of these animals in the tropics, those found in Northern Europe are largely harmless. The problem is rather that their many legs and their nimble way of moving trigger certain fears. These insects are not interested in humans. Although they are always on the hunt for prey in a building, they are only interested in other insects. Mainly on their menu are:

• Beetle
• be crazy
• Ants
• Cockroaches
• Silverfish

If millipedes or centipedes appear in an apartment, this is a clear indication that some of the above-mentioned insects can be found there. Since all arthropods have a very high need for food, one must even assume that a relatively large number of spiders or silverfish have nested. Only then will the apartment be of interest to the hunters. If you want to get rid of these uninvited guests, you have to fight the cause of their presence and not them themselves.

Note: Millipedes and centipedes never appear in large flocks. Usually it is only one or two animals that nest in your own four walls and go hunting there.

Kill millipedes

Since Arthropoda can only be found sporadically in closed rooms, one could of course get the idea of ​​killing the animals as soon as they come into view. You can easily be killed with a shoe, for example. Basically, that's not a good idea. Strictly speaking, they are beneficial insects that eat exactly what we generally like to call vermin. So you are almost like an animal exterminator who does his job for free. It is therefore best to try to find a millipede in the apartment with the help of a glass and a piece Catching paper and then transporting it back into the open - as far away as possible from the building in which you are lives.

Note: Arthropods are amazingly quick and lively, which makes them difficult to catch. You have to act very quickly and at the same time make sure that you don't injure yourself in the hustle and bustle.

Drive away millipedes

If you want to drive away the uninvited guests, you have to spoil their stay. In other words: Without a sufficiently large number of prey animals and without an environment that tends to be at least warm and humid, the animals will soon look for another hunting area. Home remedies from grandma’s days usually do relatively little against the so-called vermin in the house. This is especially true in the case of a very strong infestation. Ant traps from specialist dealers often help with ants. Silverfish can usually only be fought with chemical aids. If silverfish and cockroaches appear in large numbers, one often has no choice but to call the exterminator, who then eliminates them. It is then generally better to do everything possible to prevent these animals from spreading to you in the first place. As is so often the case, prevention is better than cure.

Prevent millipedes

The prey animals of the millipedes and centipedes usually spread out in the apartment for two reasons: it is nice and warm inside and there is also plenty of food. Therefore, one should observe a few basic rules that can be understood as preventive measures:

• never leave food or leftovers lying around
• Always throw kitchen waste in a lockable container
• Pay close attention to hygiene and wipe away even the smallest food
• Ventilate well even in winter
• Seal cracks and gaps, especially in the masonry and on the window

These measures do not give you a one hundred percent guarantee, but they drastically reduce the likelihood that vermin will nestle on you. Most of the time, they are also very easy to implement. In any case, getting rid of the animals is much more difficult and often quite complicated.

Indoor climate

Millipedes and centipedes originally come from the tropics. The species native to us therefore also love a warm, humid climate. That is why you have millipedes or centipedes in the apartment often found in the bathroom, bedroom or kitchen. The living conditions for these animals are just right here. This is precisely why it is of great importance to always ventilate the bathroom and bedroom well. The ventilation is something of a guarantee that Arthropoda no longer feel comfortable in these rooms and that they are finally looking for space again. In addition, it ensures a better indoor climate, which is good for us humans and prevents the formation of mold. By the way, mold is something that magically attracts many pests.

Note: Colloquially, there is always talk of a millipede. The correct designation in German is, however, millipede, so it can do without the letter "l".