What are these insects in my house? Freaking me out!

[SolverofPuzzles]

I've spotted a couple of little worm like insects in my house. They're not worms as have lots of little legs. They're really thin and a few cm long. Anyone know what they could be or how they're getting in?

I hate anything like this so it's really freaking me out!

Although silverfish are silvery coloured and slightly fish shaped (clue's in the name folks! ) and taper so maybe not

I know what you mean I have them too, can't think of what they are called. I tend to see them in the house when its damp outside. No idea how they get in.

A quick read says they don't like peppermint or tea tree oil, you could mix essential oils with water and spray the areas you have seen them.

It sounds like centipedes or millipedes as silverfish don't look like worms, they have antenas at the front and back.

Just googled millipede ( wish I hadn't) and I looks like that but really tiny.

Has anyone else actually had these come into their house?

Woodlice?

Can I ask where you spot them?

@SolverofPuzzles they are usually small only a few cm long... which room are they in?

If they curl up that's a millipede, a centipede would run.
Millipedes are the divine bovines of the insect world. Herbivores and slow moving.
They're just looking for shelter and won't stay if there is nothing to eat (rotting leaf litter etc).

One was kitchen and one living room.

Docile bovines of insect world... Unless you're Hindu. 🤣🤣

Honestly they are more terrified of you, than you are of them!

Spray the kitchen floor with some essential oil with water and hopefully that will be enough to deter them 🤞

@renomeno thanks I'll try that.

The seal on the back door is a bit broken. Could they get in that way?

Not when you won't let anybody work out what they are.

@NeverDropYourMooncup I'm suspecting they are millipede.

Millipedes match your description. They are utterly harmless. Centipedes are bigger and prey on millipedes and other small invertebrates - they are the orangey ones that zip about (fast = predator, slow = prey) on the underneath of things like a piece of brick/wood/slate in the garden.

You can get a dustpan and brush, sweep up the millipedes and put them outside. You won't need to touch them that way.

What do you mean by really tiny? You said 4cm, that's enormous! Did you mean 4mm?

British Millipedes are just little noodles with legs happily pootling along looking for microscopic bits of damp wood/plants to eat. If the door frame is a bit damp or rotten, they could have been in there and fallen off, carried in on a cat's bum from where they're usually in the garden, maybe from a pot plant with compost. They don't get big like the types that are kept as pets and just want to be left alone in their literally tiny world view of about 0.5cm off ground level.

Like the PP said, dustpan and brush or just ignore them, maybe check the door when the weather's dry to see if it needs a bit of sanding down and repainting.

Millipedes are adorable and come in a large version known as a giant African millipede. They're large enough to cuddle 🥰

I get them, I’ve no idea how they get in but just appear in my kitchen every now and then, it’s strange as I’ve always lived in this village but moved a few years ago probs a 5 min walk and never saw them before. I’m quite near the sea and a field wondered if that’s where they were coming from. I just scoop them up and put them outside. They do coil up which is very strange

Silverfish??

One of these? a Centipede

@Meadowfinch no it was darker and the legs were directly underneath

If adorable - millipede
If terrifying - centipede