What Does It Mean to Have Millipedes at Home? The Best Ways to Get Rid of Them
Millipedes, also known as thousand-leggers, are a type of arthropod commonly found in mountain areas, under stones and beneath rotting tree roots. They look very similar to centipedes and sometimes crawl into homes. So what does it mean to have millipedes at home? What are the best ways to get rid of them?
1. Introduction to millipedes:
1. Are millipedes poisonous?
Millipedes are not poisonous. Although millipedes have no venomous jaws, they have stink glands on their body segments that can secrete a toxic, foul-smelling liquid. The odor is unpleasant, which keeps poultry and birds from pecking at them, and if humans accidentally eat a millipede, it can cause allergic swelling of the lips and other symptoms. Some millipedes can spray a liquid with an irritating odor; the liquid sprayed by the Madagascar scarlet millipede in tropical rainforests can temporarily blind a person in both eyes.
2. How many legs do millipedes have?
Millipedes usually have more than 660 legs, and a new type of centipede was discovered in the Altai Biosphere Reserve in the Altai region of Russia. The representative * feature of this centipede is its many legs, and it can even have as many as 750 legs.
2. What does it mean to have millipedes at home?
Having millipedes at home means the home is too damp, because millipedes like humid places. They live under leaves, stones, rotting tree roots and at the base of our houses. Millipedes do not bite people, but if you touch or handle them, they can secrete toxins that cause local irritation, and in severe cases can cause obvious erythema, blisters and necrosis. Some millipedes that are not native to the United States spray an unpleasant, highly irritating secretion that can cause severe conjunctival reactions. If you accidentally come into contact with millipede secretions, wash with plenty of soapy water.
3. What are the best ways to get rid of millipedes?
Killing millipedes should not be very difficult. First, this insect likes dark, damp environments, so the environment where the insects originate should be changed to solve the problem fundamentally. Second, quicklime can also be spread in outdoor areas with standing water (studies have shown that quicklime can effectively kill millipedes). Also, this insect has a habit of living in groups, so if you are going to kill them, kill them thoroughly. As for millipedes in the home, sanitary insecticides sold on the market can be used; after spraying a certain amount, close the doors and windows, then open the windows for ventilation after some time.
The key to dealing with millipedes is to reduce or eliminate the damp areas where millipedes may live.
1. Environmental control methods
(1) Remove and trim weeds to reduce the humidity of the lawn and soil surface.
(2) Clear away accumulated leaves, dead branches and rocks to effectively reduce the favorable areas for millipede survival and activity.
(3) Water in the early morning so that the water can dissipate as quickly as possible during the day. In addition, during project construction, a water source pipeline system can be established below the lawn to control soil moisture.
(4) Minimize standing water indoors and keep the area ventilated and dry.
2. Chemical control methods
(1) At the entrances and exits of each safe passage in the park, residual spraying is used to kill adult insects.
(2) For the outer green belt, use a toxic soil treatment method and spread it evenly within the green belt, preferably before rain. If the weather is dry, a moderate amount of watering can be done after spreading.
(3) For the outer lawn, deltamethrin residual spraying can be used.
(4) Spread quicklime around the outer walls of buildings to change the environment where the pests breed.
At present, millipedes disturb humans in many ways and need to be controlled. In outdoor areas where large numbers of millipedes gather, if the area is relatively large, sanitary insecticides can be used directly for residual spraying; if the area is relatively small, quicklime can be spread for control.
Overall, having millipedes at home means the home is too damp. If you find them, clean up accumulated rocks, leaves and trimmed weeds promptly, or spray insecticides, quicklime and other control measures.