Milipede control

richyrich7 · « **on:** April 15, 2009, 13:31 »

Does any one know how to successfully, reduce the numbers of millipedes in a plot ? does not have to be organic. I know of someone who has a severe infestation of them and they destroy all his seedlings etc.
Any suggestions I would be grateful

Salmo · « **Reply #1 on:** April 17, 2009, 00:00 »

Millepedes prefer to live on organic matter and usually only do damage to seedlings or just germinating seeds in dry peroids. I believe that they are interested in gaining moisture to survive at such times rather than nutrition.

One approach would be to offer alternatives. Keep the soil moist, make sure there is plenty of organic material available. I would be tempted to dig in green manure.

Are these flat millepedes? The other ones are spotted snake millepedes which have round bodies with a line of red spots along the side. The latter are less common but when they occur they can be a dozen per plant.

cathangirl · « **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2009, 01:27 »

Does your friend have chickens? Mine like to "help" me when I dig and scoff all the creepy crawlies I uncover!

Wouldn't your solution encourage, rather than discourage, Salmo? Or have I mis-read your reply?

cathangirl

richyrich7 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 17, 2009, 07:48 »

There the same as these ones that VMD had problems with.
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=16914.0

Thanks for the ideas anyone know of a chemical control though I imagine it would only be a temporary control until they move back again.

Salmo · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2009, 08:23 »

Can you work out why they are there in such large numbers? If you can find the reason why they are there you may be able to find a long term solution. Millepedes are tough cookies and it may be that excessive use of chemicals has whiped out all their predators. Jeyes fluid, organo-phosphorous chemicals, soil sterilants, DDT, mercury compounds could be the source of the problem?

machinegardener · « **Reply #5 on:** April 17, 2009, 09:23 »

Hello All, I have the same problem . Millions of them and theyre everywhere. They are even in my workshop and the grandkids sandpit. I find them even when I dig down up to a spade depth. I think I possibly introduced them early last year as I started to see them a few weeks after digging in what I thought was lovely horse poo ( manure ) . It had lots of nice red worms and was fairly well rotted but I think it must have contained the eggs of the Millipedes I am sufering from now. Many websites claim they are more or less harmless but when its a total infestation it's a problem. I too am looking for a chemical cure. I saw somwhere that Jayes Fluid would be a good start and to spray at 3 week intervals over 3 months. However , I don't want to kill all the good bugs aswell so I am holding off for further advice. GOOD LUCK

Salmo · « **Reply #6 on:** April 17, 2009, 09:58 »

Cathangirl - I have now read your posting. If the millepedes have plenty of decaying organic matter they may be less likely to chew living plants.

Predators of millipedes include amphibians, reptiles, birds, carnivorous invertebrates, and insect-eating mammals. The carnivorous invertebrates are important because they will destroy eggs and infant millipedes. They include black beetles, centepedes, ants. If you have none of these and no frogs, toads, birds or hedgehogs the centepedes will be free to multiply. In other words we have to maintain a balanced ecosystem. Where one species dominates the system is out of balance.

richyrich7 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 17, 2009, 10:47 »

Salmo do you think then if the ground was dug over or rotavated a few times this may help to expose them to natural predators ?

sunshineband · « **Reply #8 on:** April 17, 2009, 11:04 »

Quote from: machinegardener on April 17, 2009, 09:23

Hello All, I have the same problem . Millions of them and theyre everywhere. They are even in my workshop and the grandkids sandpit. I find them even when I dig down up to a spade depth. I think I possibly introduced them early last year as I started to see them a few weeks after digging in what I thought was lovely horse poo ( manure ) . It had lots of nice red worms and was fairly well rotted but I think it must have contained the eggs of the Millipedes I am sufering from now. Many websites claim they are more or less harmless but when its a total infestation it's a problem. I too am looking for a chemical cure. I saw somwhere that Jayes Fluid would be a good start and to spray at 3 week intervals over 3 months. However , I don't want to kill all the good bugs aswell so I am holding off for further advice. GOOD LUCK

I would avoid Jeyes Fluid IMHO as it will kill off everything and you might end up with even more issues. Interestingly your millipede is not the common black snake species but looks like a flat back millipede which is usually found in leaf litter

Salmo · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2009, 08:46 »

richyrich7 - I am sure rotovating will help. They need moisture and organic matter. Also look at where predators might live. Black ground beetles and rove beetles are one of the main predators of eggs and babies. They also eat slug eggs. They like rough areas such as grass or brambles. The current fashion for tidy plastic paths does not help, grass is better, although I am sure they must like living down the sides of raised beds. If you trap slugs with jars sunk into the ground always make sure that they are a bit above ground level so that beetles do not fall in and drown.

richyrich7 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 18, 2009, 09:39 »

Thanks the info's been a great help, I'll pass it on and see if it helps them out
Cheers

Salmo · « **Reply #11 on:** April 18, 2009, 23:50 »

One more thought. The popular wood heaps and stone heaps so loved by wildlife gardeners are of course ideal homes for predators.

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Milipede control

richyrich7

Milipede control

Salmo

Re: Milipede control

cathangirl

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richyrich7

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Salmo

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machinegardener

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Salmo

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richyrich7

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sunshineband

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Salmo

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richyrich7

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Salmo

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