Unwelcome Visitors

@JudyEv (342088)

Rockingham, Australia

April 4, 2016 8:42pm CST

The photo is of our front porch and the 'things' on it are millipedes. These horrible creatures have just made it to our part of the world although they are common in some areas. We left the porch light on while we were away and when we came home we couldn't get in the door without stepping on them. This is the first time we've seen them here but they seem to have moved in in hordes. The wet weather seems to bring them. There are a few things we can do to deter them. Luckily only a very odd one gets inside otherwise I'd be moving out! I'll be happy if I can keep them outside. We won't be leaving any outside lights on in future.

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39 responses

@rosekiss (30414)

• Eugene, Oregon

5 Apr 16

Oh my goodness, there is sure a lot of them. I would be scared to try to go into my front door too, as I wouldn't want any of them in the house. I can understand you not wanting to step on them, but that would be much better thanj letting them in the house. They could hide and get into things, and that would really be bad. I hope that you can find a safe wau to get rid of them.

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@rosekiss (30414)

• Eugene, Oregon

6 Apr 16

@JudyEv That is what I would have done too. That is the best way to get rid of them for sure.

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@birjudanak (14320)

• India

7 Apr 16

they are lots of and looking they are going on vacation but it look so embarrassing that they in front of door and we not like to touch it as looking so dirty,by the way which kind of insect they are because normally we have ants come like this but not others....

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

They seem to have mostly disappeared again. I didn't want to squash them on the cement as I thought it might stain but it was hard to squash them on the ground. I sprayed them then swept them away.

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@rebelann (112966)

• El Paso, Texas

5 Apr 16

I've never seen millipedes just centipedes. Are they dangerous as well?

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@rebelann (112966)

• El Paso, Texas

5 Apr 16

Best of luck with that @JudyEv I hope you can make them go away.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

@rebelann They seem to have disappeared at the moment so that's good. And @Berniezeitler gave me a link that had some really good information in it.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

No, they're not dangerous, just unsightly and a nuisance. As long as I can keep them out of the house I'll be happy.

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@TiarasOceanView (70022)

• United States

5 Apr 16

Eww no lolz

There is a video game with these in it..just showed my son your photo lolz so thats what he says..they shoot them in the game haha

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@TiarasOceanView (70022)

• United States

5 Apr 16

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

I don't think I'd better start shooting these! :)

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@LadyDuck (472074)

• Switzerland

5 Apr 16

We have millipedes here but not too many, we have more ants.

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@LadyDuck (472074)

• Switzerland

6 Apr 16

@JudyEv I have small ant traps that I put near the windows and the entry door, in a couple of days all the ants disappear.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

I think ants would be more of a problem. We don't have problems with ants here, at least not inside.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

@LadyDuck That's a good idea. We have nasty bull-ants which give a very painful bite but they are not near the house.

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crazyhorseladycx

@crazyhorseladycx (39509)

• United States

5 Apr 16

oh my! i'm glad that my porch's high 'n won't be cursin' those steps any longer. sure keeps lots'f undesirable critters from gettin' into the house...'less the cat hauls'em in, lol.

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crazyhorseladycx

@crazyhorseladycx (39509)

• United States

5 Apr 16

@JudyEv oh, i've got centipedes that make their way into the house e'ery now'n then. big monster sized'uns! i jest aint fond'f nothin' that's got more'n 4 legs.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

They can go up walls so maybe they could get up steps but I won't wish them on you. :)

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

@crazyhorseladycx They're awful aren't they?

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@Inlemay (17713)

• South Africa

5 Apr 16

thats creepy - pardon the pun - the only invasions we have at the moment are ANTS - its a little dry so they come in for a drink of water

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

I think ants might be worse as it can be almost impossible to stop them coming into a house.

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@Inlemay (17713)

• South Africa

5 Apr 16

@JudyEv they are hard working little buggers ANTS are

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@akalinus (43371)

• United States

5 Apr 16

Ants are the worst. Unless you are talking about spiders and skeeters.

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purplealabaster

@purplealabaster (22091)

• United States

6 Apr 16

I certainly would not want to come home to that ... it is the opposite of welcoming. There are many bugs and insects that are attracted to light. There is a special kind of light bulb, which of course I can't remember the name of at the moment, that tends to not attract the bugs and insects but still allows you to have outside light. It costs more than a regular light bulb, but I think that it is worth the extra cost to avoid the swarms.

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purplealabaster

@purplealabaster (22091)

• United States

7 Apr 16

@JudyEv Do they come out like worms when it rains?

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Apr 16

@purplealabaster They've only just arrived in our area but yes, I think that is the case.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Apr 16

That sounds a good idea. They seem to have gone for the moment. I hope they don't come back when it rains again.

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@much2say (56053)

• Los Angeles, California

5 Apr 16

Oh my kids would adore having those around! But ah, we sure wouldn't enjoy their company - not that many anyway!!!

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@much2say (56053)

• Los Angeles, California

5 Apr 16

@JudyEv It's one thing to see them all in a photo, but I'm sure it's quite different seeing them in person as they are wiggling about!

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

Yes, it's a few too many for comfort isn't it?

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

@much2say We'd seen a few on the verandahs but to come home and find the whole porch alive with them was a bit disconcerting.

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@simone10 (54187)

• Louisville, Kentucky

5 Apr 16

It looks like there are thousands of them. Besides keeping the light off, what can you do to get rid of them?

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@simone10 (54187)

• Louisville, Kentucky

6 Apr 16

@JudyEv How creepy to see that many at one time. I'm glad that you don't get very many inside.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

@simone10 We had been seeing a few around but to come home and find so many was not nice at all.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

We might try putting a sheet down with a light on it and try to attract them to the sheet. Then we could dispose of them.

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@KnehKnah (3584)

• Philippines

6 Apr 16

Do they bite, Ms. Judy?

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@KnehKnah (3584)

• Philippines

6 Apr 16

@JudyEv That makes me feel better! So, maybe a broom & dustpan will bring them away from your doorstep.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

No, they don't bite. They just look very unsightly.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Apr 16

@KnehKnah Yes, I've swept them away and they haven't come back. I'm hoping they don't come again once it rains.

@brokenbee (11090)

• Philippines

6 Apr 16

That's a lot! Hmmm we also have some millipedes here but not as much as the one on the photo. Sometimes, we see one or two outside the house.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

It's sunny again now and they seem to have gone again for the moment.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

@brokenbee I am keen to see what happens next time there is rain.

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@brokenbee (11090)

• Philippines

6 Apr 16

@JudyEv Oh yes, I think they love it when it is raining. That's the time I see them here too.

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@Ronrybs (19584)

• London, England

5 Apr 16

I can't remember the last time I saw a millipede

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

Lucky you! I wish I couldn't remember the last time I saw a millipede!

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@Ronrybs (19584)

• London, England

5 Apr 16

@JudyEv The more I think on it, the more I wonder if I've seen one outside a zoo

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

@Ronrybs Why on earth would they be in a zoo? I guess you mean as an exhibit?

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destimona safrina

@destimona (1910)

• Luxembourg, Luxembourg

5 Apr 16

Seems more creepy.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

@destimona I am not scared of them but I don't like them.

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

Yes, it is a bit creepy! :)

destimona safrina

@destimona (1910)

• Luxembourg, Luxembourg

5 Apr 16

@JudyEv I am very scared of these creepy creatures.

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• Lillington, North Carolina

5 Apr 16

I don't know if I would be happy with having them on my porch either plus they are creepy looking. I have seen them in pet shops and I always wonder who would want one of those yuck.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

In pet shops? Whoever would want one? I wonder if I can package them up and sell them?

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Apr 16

@Bunny28 They're welcome to mine any time they want. :)

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• Lillington, North Carolina

6 Apr 16

@JudyEv I once seen some sold in a pet shop that had all kinds of animals domestic and exotic. I remember thinking gross and cool at the same time lol.

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@allen0187 (58582)

• Philippines

5 Apr 16

Creepy crawlers!!! What will you be doing to get rid of these?

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@allen0187 (58582)

• Philippines

6 Apr 16

@JudyEv hope that works!

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

We might put a sheet down with a light on it and try to attract them to that then dispose of them.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

@allen0187 They seem to have disappeared for the moment.

@allknowing (137773)

• India

5 Apr 16

Are those red in colour and curl up when they get in contact with anything? We hae them but not so many. They are harmless. There is a time in the year we get those huge flies hovering around our lights when they are on. What I do is that I put off all the lights and just keep one on far away. They all fly there. Once there they do not come back.

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@allknowing (137773)

• India

5 Apr 16

@JudyEv You can may be just sweep them off.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

These are very dark and yes, they do curl up when touched. I know they are harmless but I just don't like them around and I don't want to be squashing them on the cement.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

@allknowing Yes I can but I think they'll just keep coming back - so I guess I can just keep sweeping them off, can't I?

@OneOfMany (12150)

• United States

5 Apr 16

That's the most millipedes I have seen in one place. I used to do a lot of landscaping and I was always moving a lot of tan and brown colored ones. They were pretty neat. I once found a giant one and it was longer than my hand.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

We haven't been troubled with them before so we were a bit flabbergasted when we saw so many. These are very dark.

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@OneOfMany (12150)

• United States

5 Apr 16

@JudyEv Yes, the standard ones that I know are black. I don't know why they are attracted by the light. It was my understanding that millipedes like darkness.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

@OneOfMany That's true. Maybe they were trying to get out of the rain then. But there were many more on the porch where the light was on. It will be interesting to see what happens next. After seeing them that time we went away for 11 days and have only been back a day or two and it hasn't rained in that time.

@akalinus (43371)

• United States

5 Apr 16

Did you try using a broom to sweep them off the porch? Or a vacuum to suck them up? Nasty looking things.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Apr 16

We sprayed them then swept them up. I don't really want them going up the vacuum cleaner.

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@akalinus (43371)

• United States

5 Apr 16

@JudyEv I guess they could gum up the works. That was a good idea to spray them and sweep them away.

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@shshiju (10342)

• Cochin, India

5 Apr 16

So many millipede. I have seen millipede longer than these in picture.

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@shshiju (10342)

• Cochin, India

6 Apr 16

@JudyEv If it is longer one , it will definitely do harm to you.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

@shshiju I will watch out for them in that case.

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

Yes, I know there are very long ones. I'm glad these aren't any longer. :)

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@MarymargII (12422)

• Toronto, Ontario

6 Apr 16

EEEEEK! Judy I so hate any crawlies like those- we have these mother centipedes here and I hate them but they mostly are inside houses in certain areas and you need to spray to get rid of them!

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@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 16

I don't like them but they don't freak me out. Not yet anyway. :)

@MarymargII (12422)

• Toronto, Ontario

7 Apr 16

@JudyEv I hate all bugs but especially moths, spiders and centipedes and millipedes so there you go. ha!

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