Millipedes, what's the deal?

I can't answer your question. But you sure did make me laugh. Thanks!

Your concrete slab was probably created from a mix which included a xylpropenoldramphetamine additive which, according to some sources, has a pheromone component particularly attractive to millipedes but is also fatal to them. Thus they're attracted to the slab, crash out on it and then experience the final crash upon exposure to the xylpropenoldramphetamine additive. I've heard that strategic placement of peanut butter M&Ms around the base of the slab can be effective in deterring them from advancing further but can't find any data to support such.

Sorry not to be of more help. 😀

Or maybe somebody sprayed pesticide around your house to kill centipedes and cockroaches, and the millipedes (a.k.a. gongolos) died after crawling over the pesticide. You just notice the gongolos more on the concrete because it's light-colored. Also, gongolos are attracted to light. And during late afternoon and dusk, they seem to stampede more than at other times.

two very interesting ideas and takes on it. thanks for the input. They're gross and annoying and it's sad to watch them do the lemming.

I remember them doing the same thing back in the 70's. We lived out in Queen's Quarter and had trouble with centipedes coming in through the sliding doors. Millipedes were plentiful, but there were always some curled up dead on the patios. I don't know if the gardeners used pesticide (we were renters)--- Old Tart's answer makes sense.

Paula

Your concrete slab was probably created from a mix which included a xylpropenoldramphetamine additive which, according to some sources, has a pheromone component particularly attractive to millipedes but is also fatal to them. Thus they're attracted to the slab, crash out on it and then experience the final crash upon exposure to the xylpropenoldramphetamine additive. I've heard that strategic placement of peanut butter M&Ms around the base of the slab can be effective in deterring them from advancing further but can't find any data to support such.

Sorry not to be of more help. 😀

i sure do learn a lot on this message board! *-)

Edited to erase-- sorry. I need to quit doing more than one thing at a time I guess...

I remember them doing the same thing back in the 70's. We lived out in Queen's Quarter and had trouble with centipedes coming in through the sliding doors. Millipedes were plentiful, but there were always some curled up dead on the patios. I don't know if the gardeners used pesticide (we were renters)--- Old Tart's answer makes sense.

Paula

Whoops!-- I meant to put a 🙂 at the end of my last sentence...

Yeah I have to chime in, i saw a lot of gungalos on my concrete back porch in the 80s. Rarely on the brick front porch, if that matters.

Well, today seems to be a new day in the gungalos invasion. They're everywhere and finally starting to figure out how to get under the door. There was also a giant slug on my door and a small hermit crab. I don't think the hermit crab was in cahoots though.

I'll be buying cheap peanut butter and m&ms today.

There are always more gongalos after it rains!

Just for fun, I googled "xylpropenoldramphetamine" which turned up this thread.

ONLY this thread. 😀

Just for fun, I googled "xylpropenoldramphetamine" which turned up this thread.

ONLY this thread. 😀

You're right. haha

Just for fun, I googled "xylpropenoldramphetamine" which turned up this thread.

ONLY this thread. 😀

😀

Another thing I've noticed about gongolos: We're in Salt River STX on a hill, away from the water, and we have lots of gongolos. Our neighbors near the beach have few or none of them. I suspect that the salt spray on the ground keeps the gongolos away.

I just googled "millepede barrier" and found out how the Aussies are battling the buggers. I also googled "millipede light trap" for more info.

See each link below for more info and images.

http://www.mrc.wa.gov.au/Documents/Report-of-the-Millipede-Barrier-by-Kathrine-Goldsm.aspx discusses a specific program in the Kinross Residential area of Australia using a 984 meter long galvanized barrier and light water traps. Millipedes are nocturnal, and are attracted to light, so the light water traps in this case are solar lights in a bucket of water. The millipedes climb in and drown.

From http://www.sardi.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/44888/millipedes.pdf :

Favourable habitats

Millipedes occur in greatest numbers in areas of undisturbed leaf litter and organic mulch as occurs in many gardens in the Adelaide Hills, and also in areas where winter weeds (for example soursobs and salvation jane) form a more or less continuous ground cover. Millipedes generally are not numerous in lawns, cultivated areas or bare ground.
...

Control

The most practical strategy to prevent millipedes from invading houses is to form a barrier around the house or use a light-trap to intercept them before they enter the house. Large-scale suppression of millipedes away from houses is probably practicable only by biological control.

Chemical barriers

[discusses Carbaryl]

Physical barriers

Millipedes move by crawling and cannot cross smooth, clean vertical surfaces. Barriers can stop millipedes from entering houses by simply blocking their path.

A moat and trap system may be constructed as a permanent barrier. Millipedes fall into the moat, which has overhanging sides, and cannot climb out. Instead they must move to the ends of the channel, where they fall into a container and are trapped.

An electric barrier for vertical surfaces includes two conductive metal tapes carrying a small electric current at high voltage that will stun or skill the millipedes.

Plate glass, 7.5cm wide and 4.5mm thick, set into concrete around the base of the house prevents millipedes from entering because they cannot gain a foothold on the smooth surface.

A less permanent barrier is formed using a wide (48mm at least) smooth vinyl, polypropylene or polythene tape. Contact adhesive is needed to fix the tape to the wall.

All barriers must be kept clean and free of bridging vegetation to remain effective.

Light-trap

In some situations a light-trap may reduce by 90 per cent the number of millipedes entering a house. A light-trap can be made from galvanised iron downpipe and a 5-watt, 12-volt globe powered by a battery or transformer. The trap is placed along a wall where millipedes enter the house. The floor of the trap can be treated with carbaryl and the dead millipedes emptied from the ends of the trap.

Biological control by nematodes

[discusses feeding parasitic nematodes to the millpedes, which kills them]

AT our condo STC. I see very few of them on the lower level but quite a few on the upper level. Maybe STXBob is on to something about the nearer the ocean the fewer there are.:S

wow Bob, thanks for that.

Here is more info on millipede traps. These all use smooth-sided containers as a trap, with light, sugar/food and/or booze as an attractant.

Drop traps and garden lights. The author caught thousands in 2 nights using 12 traps:
http://wartook.vic.au/millipede-invasion

A commercial Aussie Millipede Catcher light trap. Not currently available, but explore the site for lots of details on the product:
http://www.millipedecatchers.com/product

Yogurt container trap with sugar and liquor:
http://www.mabelst.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35:die&catid=17:archive&Itemid=50

Pitfall traps in Canada:
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/09-009w.htm

Also, here's a better version of the "sardi" link that I posted and quoted from earlier, with better images:
http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/pw/ins/gn2003_002.pdf

Thanks STXBob. I'm going to try the bucket in the hole with the solar light. I'm tired of sweeping my front porch and gallery many times a day because they're EVERYWHERE!

I'm thinking of doing a moat and trap system as shown on page 4 at http://www.sardi.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/44888/millipedes.pdf . At our place, the gongolos mostly come over one retaining wall, night and day, so the light water trap alone wouldn't work, since it's designed for night. But the moat should catch everybody that tries to get over the wall, and then they can only crawl left or right into a trap.

I'm thinking of making the moat out of galvanized duct pipe, or thin plastic pipe, cut open lengthwise. I think the key is to use a thin material so the critters can't bend their bodies enough to reach the top of the lip. That and gravity makes it impossible to get out. I'll have to experiiment with some materials.

I too, have many many millipedes. I just sweep alot.

bump...excellent info, thanks a lot. (tu)

hilarious i just found this, Jamo!! dude i gave you that wicker table! hope all is well in stx.

-tommy