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They block the tracks in Japan, push their way into our gardens and houses and cause breathlessness – we are talking about small arthropods called millipedes, which many people keep awake at.
- Millipedes emit a deterrent and unpleasant odor
- In Poland, these arthropods live from three to five years
- The most effective way to remove them is the chemical method
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How to recognize millipedes? They measure from 2 to 47 mm, have a strongly elongated and cylindrical body. They are covered with a hard outer shell containing a lot of calcium salts. They move slowly, with smooth movements, and when concerned, they curl into a ball and fall into a state of numbness. Millipedes hibernate in hollows, crevices or pits dug into the ground. The full development of their larvae living in Poland takes one year, and the life expectancy is from three to five years.
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Millipedes – are they dangerous to humans?
Millipedes emit a substance which is a combination of hydrochloric acid and hydrogen cyanide with an unpleasant, irritating smell. Its purpose is to deter, inter alia, spiders and ants. In small amounts, it is completely safe for humans. But prolonged contact and in large amounts may cause dyspnoea. For the same reason, you should avoid touching the coils with your bare hands. You may be at risk of an allergic reaction, such as dermatitis. If contact has already occurred, wash your hands immediately. You should also avoid the area of the eyes, mouth and nose. Millipedes pose a threat for one more reason – they carry bacteria and dermatoses (skin diseases). So far, however, there are no studies confirming that they are carcinogenic.
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Millipedes – how to get rid of them?
Spraying is the most common method of removing millipedes from a house or apartment. Special agents dedicated to this can be purchased at garden stores. The greatest efficiency is achieved by spraying walls up to a meter high and a two-meter strip of soil around the foundations. It is also worth spraying the joints between the walls and the floor. The disadvantage of this method is its high toxicity. Another recommended method is building traps. You should dig small holes in the ground and throw organic waste into it – potato shells or leftover vegetables. When millipedes appear there, it is enough to spray with a suitable agent.
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Millipedes stop trains
An interesting fact concerns millipedes living in central Japan. They go out onto the railway tracks every eight years. Sometimes there are so many of them that trains have to stop. Scientists have been researching this phenomenon for 50 years. The development of Japanese individuals consists of several stages. They moult one moult for seven years and hibernate in winter. They spend all this time underground, up to 20 cm deep. In the eighth year they come to the surface, and in the following year they reproduce.
«Millipedes most likely lived there before the tracks were laid, and because they don’t like to travel too far, they stay close to the place where they were born “, described Gazeta Wyborcza.
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