Prolonged and continual protection against Millipedes and other crawling insects requires an understanding of the motivation and breeding cycles of the pests.

In some cases a reduction in the size of an invasion can be acheived by finding and destroying breeding sites or by making your home less attactive to the pests. Although a focus is placed on Millipedes, the principles in this sections can be applied to most crawling pests.

Migration of Millipedes is a seasonal phenomenon. Usually the migrating Millipedes invade houses and properties on their migratory route during Autumn and Spring. Typically the mMillipedes invading your home have a breeding site not more than 100 metres away.

The millipedes are attracted by internal and external lights and it is not atypical for hundreds or even thousands of millipedes to cover exterior walls in affected areas on a daily basis.

Under threat the millipedes will curl into a coiil and release a pungent odour which deters most predators. A similar pungent odour is released by dead millipedes. It has been hypothesized that this odour also acts as an attractant / phermonefor other millipedes and may in turn bring more Millipedes to your house.

Millipedes feed primarily on decomposing plant matter and animal faeces or by products. Effective control of Millipedes should also involve removal of obvious food sources and breeding places. Clean and remove any pet litter from gardens, clean up falling leaves and decomposing plant matter especially during autumn when Millipedes are most active and dead leaf litter is most prevalent to remove potential breeding sites for the migrating pests.

Other potential breeding sites include under rocks and logs and anywhere where a cool moist environment can be found with an abundant food source.

Removal of food sources and attractive breeding locations can go a long way towards reducing the Millipede population within your property.