[4][5] Occasionally, they prove to be a nuisance in the basements of homes in suburban areas, drains, sewers, wells, and firewood stacks.

[citation needed] Some reach into alpine areas and live close to permanent ice, such as the Mount Cook "flea" (Pharmacus montanus) and its relatives in New Zealand.

Typically living in a lightless environment, or active at night, they rely heavily on their sense of touch, which is limited by reach.

Those species of Rhaphidophoridae that have been studied are primarily scavengers, eating plant, animal, and fungi material.

In the large sand dunes of California and Utah, they serve as food for scorpions and at least one specialized bird, LeConte's thrasher (Toxostoma lecontei).

The thrasher roams the dunes looking for the tell-tale debris of the diurnal hiding place and excavates the sand treaders (the range of bird is in the Mojave and Colorado Deserts in the U.S.).

They may reproduce indoors, and are seen in dark, moist conditions such as a basement, shower, or laundry area, as well as in organic debris (e.g., compost heaps) that serve as food.