How to get rid of centipedes (ginkuus)?

[JetsetBkk]

I asked about these some time ago: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/652733-bug-identification-please/

I've got hundreds of them in my garden, on the drive and patio.

I think they live on dead grass and stuff.

[Shot]

Just be glad they aren't centipedes. Those mofos hurt. I reached into a towel once and the thing bit my finger and wrapped itself around my other fingers. It felt like my finger was stabbed and set on fire. The venom traveled up to my armpit and the pain lasted for around 12 hours. Google Thai Centipede.

yes, the animal on the picture is not a centipede ( I kill them with a shoe, very easy but of course know what you do )

I don't even think it's a millipede, because it has very high legs and it doesn't look like millipede as I know them

here is a "normal" thai millipede ( same than in Africa )

Well, these are millipedes which mimic centipedes from the body form. Millipedes have two pairs of legs on each segment while centipedes have only one pair of leg on each segment.

Just outside our house, there is a piece of land where everybody dups their garden waste, leaves, tree branches,

grass. I guess this is the source of the problem. I tried to stop this dumping by asking everybody to bring their

garden waste to another place. Unfortunately without success. Especially the Thais really don't like to be told

where to throw their stuff by a foreigner. So that might be the main breeding ground for the millipedes, but now they have also

invaded my garden.

As they feed on rotting plants in fact the garden waste dump is the source of your issue.

You might just solve it by using some benzene to pour over and burn the dump from time to time. Not nice but effective.

Bye,

Derk

Good advice. Burn the garden waste dump.

[retell]

Just be glad they aren't centipedes. Those mofos hurt. I reached into a towel once and the thing bit my finger and wrapped itself around my other fingers. It felt like my finger was stabbed and set on fire. The venom traveled up to my armpit and the pain lasted for around 12 hours. Google Thai Centipede.

those millipeds attack and eat smal centipedes so rather have those around the house than the centipedes althou seems you really got alot of them , i have no idea what that bug us in the photo more like a centipede than a millipede

Edited September 2, 2013 by retell

[bubblegum]

I have them too. Just sweep them out every morning. They're a nuisance but not harmful.

[Roadrunner]

very similar to the centipedes in the U.S. I put baking soda along the walls and under the sink and other damp and dark places

where the centepedes come in. The baking soda powder gets into the holes through which they breathe and smothers them.

If you continue to put the baking soda out each day and make sure it does not become hard you will see a substantial reduction

in centipedes and roaches in your house.

[ozzydom]

Easy to identify a millipede from a centipede.

Milli,s have 2 sets of legs per body segment whereas a centipede has 1 set.

The picture is of a millipede.

[Guest]

Easy to identify a millipede from a centipede.

Milli,s have 2 sets of legs per body segment whereas a centipede has 1 set.

The picture is of a millipede.

I always think as the length of the legs. Millipede is millimeter foot in Latin (or similar). Sentipede centimeter foot.

[attento]

The fast moving ones, usually centipedes, are omniverous, whereas the slower guys, the millipedes, are usually vegetarian. Chickens will consume these smaller versions., either Centi or Milli.

[Khunangkaro]

Maybe a better way would be to try those fly catcher type things with the glue on (that never dries) but they are not that big and may prove to be expensive if you have 100's!

,

I like to know where in Thailand (near Annat Charoen, Ubon) to buy these sticky fly catchers that hang down from the ceiling.

[pablomontanero]

Many thanks again for all the good ideas and inputs.

Thank you JetsetBkk for the youtube video, thats the insect we are talking about:

Strangely, the link by old croc also shows the same insect:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harpaphe_haydeniana

It normally seems to be found in North America.

So either someone brought this from the US to Thailand, or it is a different version here?

In Wikipedia, the ground beetle is mentioned as specialized predator of this millipede.

The following solutions have been proposed up to now in this very helpful thread:

Predators which may eat the millipede:

- black scorpions (MILT, can I buy them somewhere?)

- chicken (I consider letting 3 chicken run around my garden for a few months, do they really east these insects?)

- small red ants (I remember, I killed most ants with a powder last year, maybe I killed too many? How can I get the red ones back? That seems to be the general problem of pest control, the balance seems to get destroyed)

Powders, Poisons and more

- baking soda around the house, keep dry

- spread vinegar powder around the house

- pest control (I tried, and only the very heavy stuff worked, but also destroyed half the garden)

- burning the dump which is close to the house (how can I avoid other trees to get on fire if they are close to it?)

- sweeping them away every day

- sealing the house

Others, maybe not so realistic

- target intercontinental ballistic missile at the house

- move to another place

I do not have any pots in the house. But when my gardener mows the lawn, he only collects the grass

with a rake and not with the lawn mower bag. So a lot of small grass particles stay in the lawn. That may

increase the problem.

I guess I will try, if a neighbors chicken eats one or two and then I buy chicken. If that is not working,

the black scorpion might be an option, but it sounds wild to deliberately put scorpions in your garden...

[KarenBravo]

Why would you substitute nasty scorpions for harmless millipedes? Sounds nuts.

[Old Croc]

Millipedes can be very dangerous:

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/millipedes-suspected-in-clarkson-train-crash-20130903-2t1wf.html

[pablomontanero]

Why would you substitute nasty scorpions for harmless millipedes? Sounds nuts.

Hi Karen

I am considering to substitute 3000 millipedes against 3 black scorpions if this is possible

and if the scorpions are as hungry . The chicken solution would be nicer if it works.

I still have to test who really eats these damn millipedes.

I am looking for a solution to avoid scenes like in the picture.

A Thai worker yesterday called them Maen Kaa, but most Thais don't know a name for it.

They just let me know that they are really dangerous, should they reach the bed and the inside

of your ears when you sleep.

Edited September 6, 2013 by pablomontanero