Gah, centipedes everywhere

[ShadowBall]

In the last maybe week and a half, I have noticed a startling number of millipedes in the basement and garage. I'm down here a lot because it's where my computer is, and I'd say I kill at least ten of these little fuckers every night. They're tricky because if I don't grind them into a fine dust, they will just curl up, wait a few minutes, and then crawl off. Hell, even chopping them in half doesn't stop them as the separate halves sometimes go and crawl off!

As I speak, I am watching half of a millipede crawl its way across the floor. I have no idea where these things are coming from...there are no holes in the house and no leaks, plus there's a dehumidifier in the basement. These millipedes are all the same color and size, so I assume there is a nest somewhere.

I'm not sure what to do here. Chemical extermination makes me nervous because my cats' food and catboxes are in the basement and I don't want to poison them (since two of them are a little stupid and eat anything). I've just been doing my best to kill these things when I see them, but there's a whole other bunch every single night.

I saw one upstairs last night and I hope to (deity) it was just one really determined one that climbed the stairs and that they are not coming in up there too. I assume since they are down here, they must be coming in somewhere down here. I just don't know where.

Any suggestions? Particularly anything I can do that will not cause harm to my cats?

[Frantic Freddie]

Do you have centipedes or millipedes? 2 different animals,millipedes are generally harmless,but centipedes are poisonous & venomous. Give your local pest control company a call & explain the situation,it may be that it's just an annual thing & they'll all die off in a few weeks.

[Kara]

My guess is that if they just curl up and wait until the coast is clear, they're millipedes. Which are completely harmless. In fact, the oils in your skin are toxic to them.

Centipedes, at least the ones around here, tend to be more aggressive and will usually run when you get near. Either way, if you want them gone safely, I'd contact pest control.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Ah, yes. Fall. When a millipedes heart (or whatever millipedes have) turns to love.

In particular, love on the floor of my bathroom. And when I say "love" I mean "mass screwing". They are not limited to the bathroom floor, they just seem to like it best.

Every damn year. Fucking millipedes every damn where. I'm not kidding, they literally are fucking millipedes. Next time you see two them watch. Actually, it's pretty interesting, I don't know how they keep which legs belongs to which creature straight.

[JLG]

Yuck. I have seen a millipede in my apartment from time to time and they freak me out something about all those tiny legs running at once!! OK now I am freaking out looking around every where.

When I googled how to get rid of them I did find many products to use that are safe for pets and children. But I never did purchase any because thank goodness it never turned into a problem. They do like damp places so that is probably why they are in your basement. Good luck and please no pictures!

[ShadowBall]

It just freaks me out because there's a plastic mat on the floor down here and I can actually hear them skittering around on it! And it's annoying when I kill five or six of them, everything's quiet for about 10 minutes, and then five more show up out of nowhere.

I know millipedes are harmless, but just knowing they are in here makes me cringe. And after doing some Googling myself, I found something called EcoSmart that seems to be safe to use indoors and around pets. I may look into that, but odds are it costs an arm and a leg.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I gave up on trying to get rid of them. There seems to be a never ending supply of them this time of year.

My main problem is that I can smell them. I have been since informed not everyone can smell them. I can. More specifically, I can smell them on my feet.

[Kara]

I did a report on millipedes once, I'm not just like, some kind of weird bug freak.

Millipedes secrete some kind of stuff (can't remember now) through their bodies. IIRC, it protects them from the bacteria and stuff in dead things/damp places. Which is where they like to be. That's why the oil from human skin can actually kill them, it somehow borks their ability to secrete their stinky stuff that keeps them safe. Wow, that's like, the most unscientific explanation I have EVER given for anything.

I've heard some people can smell it, some can't. It depends on how many and/or how big they are in any given area. If you ever get a whiff of the giant millipede tank if they have them for sale at any nearby pet stores, it does smell funky.

I let a giant millipede crawl up my arm once. THAT is a very weird sensation.

[BookstoreEscapee]

This thread is making me itch.

[Der Cute]

so they're not MILLIpedes, they're SMELLipedes?

[ShadowBall]

I'm a little bored, so I decided to start catching all the millipedes I find in a jar. (This might make some people feel grossed out) Currently I've got about 20 and they're amusing to watch. None of them can walk in a straight line - they're all rolling all over one another. They can't climb up the jar sides whatsoever, and they're getting tangled in the bodies of the dead ones I threw in there.

They sound like a bunch of little tapdancers in there. Their inability to climb the jar reassures me that they will not be on the ceiling over my head too. Plus my cat seems entertained by them.

But holy christwagons, do they reek! I couldn't smell anything when I would just find a couple, but with shitloads of them in one place, the collective smell is very noticeable.

[BrightEyedKitty]

I find the occasional centipede in my apartment. Now I'm scared...

[Kara]

>.>
<.<

You should be more afraid of the ones you don't find.

*runs away to hide*

[BrightEyedKitty]

HUSH, you!

[BlaqueKatt]

I find the occasional centipede in my apartment. Now I'm scared...

centipedes eat spiders*, roaches, silverfish, crickets, and any other bug smaller than them. Hence why I really don't mind them.


*the many long legs allow them to walk right into the web for a snack.