Are Millipedes Poisonous? Understanding the Toxic Characteristics of Millipedes

The millipede is also known as the thousand-legger, scale-stick insect, and so on. It is about 20-35 mm long, dark brown, with reddish-yellow on both sides of its back and on its legs. It lives in the surface layer of lawn soil, under clods of earth, under blocks, or in soil crevices. It generally hides by day and is active at night, harming the young roots of plants as well as young seedlings and tender stems and leaves. Now let us take a look at whether millipedes are poisonous!

Are millipedes toxic?

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 fluid. 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 cause temporary blindness in both eyes.

Do millipedes bite people?

Millipedes do not bite people. Although millipedes do not bite, when they are touched or handled they can secrete toxins that cause local irritation, and in severe cases can lead to obvious erythema, blisters, and necrosis. Toxic secretions from millipedes on the skin should be washed off with plenty of soap and water, but alcohol must never be used. If the skin reacts, topical corticosteroids can be applied locally. If the eyes are affected, they must be rinsed immediately, and corticosteroid eye drops or ointment should be used.

How to eliminate millipedes?

The spread and migration of millipedes can be controlled and killed off. Treating the problem at its source is the best approach. Effective killing measures include scattering quicklime in millipede habitats, burning with fire, scalding with boiling water, and spraying pyrethroid pesticides. The best times to kill them are from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 5 p.m. until dark. Based on actual conditions, you can proceed from indoors outward in all directions to outdoors, farmland, and forests in an encircling manner, establish good isolation belts, and strictly prevent millipedes from spreading.