University:
Washington State University
Course:
ENTOM 101 | Insects and People: A Perspective
Academic year:

2024
Views:

149

Pages:

2
Author:

omiliar74be

Millipedes in Gardens Millipedes (“thousand-legged worms”) are slow moving, usually hard-bodied, worm-like animals related to insects. Their bodies have many segments, most segments having two pairs of legs. Millipede color and size varies, but those common in garden soils are brown to white and about ½ inch long or less. Often they are coiled. Millipedes (Fig. 1 and 2) usually live in and feed on moist, decaying plant material (including manure and compost), and live in moist soils containing such materials. As saprophytes they are considered beneficial (Fig. 3). Soils high in organic matter have more millipedes, and plant damage in such soils is more frequent. They may cause serious damage by eating small roots and tunneling into larger roots, bulbs, and tubers. Frequently they are found in feeding wounds made in strawberries, etc. by slugs (Fig. 4). It appears that the fermentation juices in these wounds attract the millipedes. Management Avoid repeated additions of large amounts of organic matter to the soil. Do not water plants more often than is necessary for good culture. Pesticides are not recommended for millipede management. Fig. 1. One of our smaller millipedes. 80X (Julus sp.). Fig. 2. One of our larger millipedes > 2 inches. Fig. 3. Our common forest millipede is highly beneficial. Fig. 4. Millipedes congregating in slug bite wound.