What are the little brown worms curled up in our basement?

Question: What are the little brown worms in our basement that curl up and get crunchy when dead? We live in south central Iowa and have had these  worms in our basement practically year-round. Is there a way to get rid of them?


ANSWER: Probably what you have is the common millipede (Class: Diplopoda). They are characterized by the numerous legs on each side of the body, thus the name ”thousand legger.” These animals are common household invaders, especially from spring to fall.

They live outdoors in moist and decaying organic material (dead leaves, flower garden mulch, even the thatch layer in turfgrass), and usually go unnoticed at these locations. Sometimes millipede populations increase rapidly, or their environment gets too wet, and they start to migrate to get away from these conditions. They usually move to the sides of houses (where it may be warmer and drier). They sometimes come inside under door thresholds and around windows at ground level.

The best control is to remove as much of the moist mulch around doors and away from the foundation as possible (make a 6″ to 12″ gap between mulch and house). This reduces their breeding sites and the favorable areas for them. Make certain the door thresholds are well sealed. These animals don’t reproduce in houses; in fact they die soon after they enter because the environment is too dry for them.

For help with this pest, you can contact your local Orkin Branch Office . A highly trained Orkin Pest Specialist will inspect your home inside and outside, and after assessing the situation a customized treatment backed by science will be developed to meet your needs.

For more information you can visit millipedes to learn about this common invader.


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