Wee beasties - help!!!

[jammyd]

Anyone know what these little blighters are? I moved a piece of carpet that was covering some bare ground and found a number of these critters. They're about 10-15mm long and have lots of legs.

Also, are they friend or foe??? Never seen 'em before!

Many thanks,
james  

[Hugh_Jones]

Millipedes, and they eat the roots of plants.

[flowerbaby_uk]

yep squash em cos baddies  
 

[jammyd]

Yikes - so they're bad boys, are they....  

Anyone know a good way of getting rid of them (which doesn;t involve chemicals...)

thanks all!
jams  

[kenkew]

Depends on quantity. Just a few then the order of the boot should be ok. If it's a serious infestation you might have to resort to dustings seedlings with Lindane. 'Non poisonous' slug pellets will help to deter them too.

[tim]

I believe it is correct that anything that 'scuttles' is good. = Tim

[jammyd]

Hello Tim, I'd hate to kill anything that was good for the plot, but they seem to have set up home where I'd planned to plant my parsnips - hope they won't nibble too many!!

james  

[Hugh_Jones]

Tim, I think you`re getting confused with centipedes. The millipedes pictured don`t scuttle, they move slowly and usually curl up when disturbed, and can be either the colour shown or black.  Centipedes are reddish brown, move very quickly, and are ferocious eaters of the soil `baddies` such as millipedes.

[Palustris]

Beat me to it, Hugh, Agree Millpedes, hens love these but not the black ones. Old rule used to be that if it moves quickly it is a friend if it moves slowly then it is a foe. If you do not like Chemicals then try hollowing out a potato, the millipedes will move in and then you can dispose as you will. That is the theory anyway.

[tim]

Dear, oh dear - you aged lot!! I don't know a millipede when I see one??
I said that scuttlers are GOOD? Like centipedes (which, I reckon are nearer yellow than reddish-brown) and like what Eric's old rule agrees with?? That includes the nippy beetles. = Tim

[jammyd]

Thanks for all your help, folks - I'll definitely try the potato trick  
There were a couple of centipedes around the millipedes - I guess it was an all you can eat buffet till I came along!!

jams

[gavin]

Poor maligned beasties - they're not really baddies are they?  Not through and through baddies?

I've never had that many to have to worry - so I'm the wrong person to say anything; the few I've seen, it's been live and let live (and turned up for the birds to get).  

A few disjointed thoughts - they digest rotting wood and leaves, and are part of the long chain of creatures who build fertile soil; so it figures that there's be a lot under your carpet.  But they can also be a pain in the seed-bed, I believe, nibbling away at roots - is this when there are too many of them, and they're hungry?

I'd liek to know more - let us know how the potato trick goes?

All best - Gavin

[rachie78]

I also have the same problem but where do i buy Lindane from ? have tried averything else!

[Palustris]

Lindane was banned about 10 years ago as being one of the worst poisons that man has created to spray on the land. It killed everything living, including us!

[Robert_Brenchley]

Millipedes are largely detritus feeders, and do very little harm. If you're worried, use the potato trick rather than poisons. The latter will probably kill a lot of useful creatures as well.

[Digeroo]

Is it just me but I cannot see pic of the beasties?

[Susiebelle]

nor me digeroo - and I would have found it useful as I always get these two mixed up!

[Jayb]

The photo appears long gone, original post was 2004 

[Digeroo]

Aha well spotted.