# Outdoor worms



## steve100 (Apr 22, 2013)

Hi

We have recently moved to Cyprus and are confronted by these outdoor worms? does any one know what they are and how they can be controlled as they are all over the walls outside and are now trying to also get inside.

Thanks Steve


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

you say they are worms but do they have lots of tiny little legs?


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## MacManiac (Jan 25, 2012)

It sounds like they are centipede/millipedes (have you counted the legs?). We just dispatch them to the boundary when we find them on the outside walls of the house. Not very pretty but only a nuisance from time to time.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

My thought was also that they might be centipedes which while they can be a nuisance are not a big problem. I have also found that when a property is empty for any length of time they somehow seem to get in everywhere, but when a house is occupied they tend not to be as numerous.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

I think you'll find Ant powder will deal with these.

Pete


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## steve100 (Apr 22, 2013)

Thanks all for your comments we will try all suggestions and advise accordingly.

I believe they may be centipides?


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## seasoar (Sep 14, 2012)

They are millepedes. Completely harmless. Turn them around and they will walk away! They don't bite.


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## seasoar (Sep 14, 2012)

They are also a good natural barometer. If you see them climbing up the wall - bring your washing in - its going to rain!!


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## mystic (Jul 21, 2010)

*Worms*



steve100 said:


> Hi
> 
> We have recently moved to Cyprus and are confronted by these outdoor worms? does any one know what they are and how they can be controlled as they are all over the walls outside and are now trying to also get inside.
> 
> Thanks Steve


Steve they may well be worms. We have the same problem. We have never found a remedy to keep them away, with the exception of a line of salt along the doorway cos they cannot walk through salt, however they are all over the walls and ceilings where salt cannot help. They have been trying to get into our house forever, they don't give up. During the winter it was large worms, now it is hundreds and hundreds of tiny baby worms. They get into the house, then drop off the ceiling onto you, the food, anything. They are really horrible. The bigger ones crunch if you happen to stand on one, so they are not the same kind of earth worms that we know from the UK, but they are worms never-the-less. 

2 years ago we were told to just ignore them as it means we have good soil here, but they don't stay in the soil, they all want to be in the house! If you find a solution, please be so kind as to let me know, cos we quite frankly are getting fed up with worms dropping into our coffee or our meal, YUK!


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

Sounds a little confusing worms/centipedes/millipedes - which is it?

The last post sounds particularly nasty. If salt works as a deterrent at the door where you can lay a trail, then you could try making a solution of sodium chloride (common salt) and spray it on the inaccessible places where the worms seem to go plus around the bottom 12 inches or so of your external walls.
I don't know if this will work, could well depend on the strength of the solution applied.
If you do try this please post an update of the result.

Rema


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## Guest (May 7, 2013)

Rema said:


> Sounds a little confusing worms/centipedes/millipedes - which is it?
> 
> The last post sounds particularly nasty. If salt works as a deterrent at the door where you can lay a trail, then you could try making a solution of sodium chloride (common salt) and spray it on the inaccessible places where the worms seem to go plus around the bottom 12 inches or so of your external walls.
> I don't know if this will work, could well depend on the strength of the solution applied.
> ...


Take a picture with mobile and publish on the forum. Then you will get a quick answer about the kind of pest you have

Anders


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Vegaanders said:


> Take a picture with mobile and publish on the forum. Then you will get a quick answer about the kind of pest you have
> 
> Anders


Quiite! without our seeing what you have, we can only guess since you haven't even given a description other than "worms" which could as has been suggested be millipedes, centipedes or maggots or caterpillars or slugs or leeches, or...


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Ant powder or BioKill spray.

Pete


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## mystic (Jul 21, 2010)

PeteandSylv said:


> Ant powder or BioKill spray.
> 
> Pete


Thanks Pete, we have tried everything, had this for over 2 years. Tried a variety of ant powders, doesn't work for the worms, and they don't work for most of the ants either cos they are meat eaters. I have tried all the sprays you can imagine, and yes they will die if I spray them on impact, but next day another few hundred appear, no matter how many days or nights I spray, they keep coming. We want to stop them trying to get into the house, wouldn't mind if they stayed in the soil, but they don't.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

mystic said:


> Thanks Pete, we have tried everything, had this for over 2 years. Tried a variety of ant powders, doesn't work for the worms, and they don't work for most of the ants either cos they are meat eaters. I have tried all the sprays you can imagine, and yes they will die if I spray them on impact, but next day another few hundred appear, no matter how many days or nights I spray, they keep coming. We want to stop them trying to get into the house, wouldn't mind if they stayed in the soil, but they don't.


I have never heard of these to the extent you are suffering. Also no-one else has commented on them.

Could it be you are living on the set of a horror film starring yourselves ?? !! 

Pete


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## mystic (Jul 21, 2010)

Pete, some nights it sure feels like it!!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Actually if the things you call 'worms' are centipedes or millipedes it is important to know that they are beneficial as they eat cockroaches.
Is this what they look like?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Veronica said:


> Actually if the things you call 'worms' are centipedes or millipedes it is important to know that they are beneficial as they eat cockroaches.
> Is this what they look like?


If it is those - they are millipedes.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> If it is those - they are millipedes.


I know, we get loads of them in our garden and for the first time this year they have been getting into the house.
The good thing is we never have cockroaches.


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## mystic (Jul 21, 2010)

Veronica said:


> Actually if the things you call 'worms' are centipedes or millipedes it is important to know that they are beneficial as they eat cockroaches.
> Is this what they look like?


No they are not as per the picture. I will try to get a photo of them and post on here.

We do not have cockroaches here, we have just about every other living creature, but so far no cockroaches.

Remo; As for making a solution and spraying it, we have thought of doing that, however we are renting here, and the house was renovated just 2 years ago with all the exterior being done in graphiato. We are worried that a salt solution may have a negative effect on the paintwork, so we don't want to do that.


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

mystic said:


> No they are not as per the picture. I will try to get a photo of them and post on here.
> 
> We do not have cockroaches here, we have just about every other living creature, but so far no cockroaches.
> 
> Remo; As for making a solution and spraying it, we have thought of doing that, however we are renting here, and the house was renovated just 2 years ago with all the exterior being done in graphiato. We are worried that a salt solution may have a negative effect on the paintwork, so we don't want to do that.


Mystic,

I understand your concern re the paintwork but I doubt there would be any serious effect, you may want to try a test area in an out of the way place first.

If all else has failed (ant powders etc) and you are worried about spraying then it seems to me - outside of any professional help - then you have an answer in laying salt around the perimeter of the property. You said it stops them coming in through the door so put it at the base of the wall to stop them climbing up. It may take a lot of salt but that is only a small price to pay compared to no 'worms' in your dinner. Good luck


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## gloucester_geezer (May 5, 2008)

Mystic,
It seems that many opinions and a lot of advice has been given but everyone is stabbing in the dark!! You could make it much easier by putting a picture on here, or finding a picture on the internet and posting the link so that everyone can see exactly what you are talking about.

Then you can get a solution and all will be well in the world....


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

gloucester_geezer said:


> Mystic,
> It seems that many opinions and a lot of advice has been given but everyone is stabbing in the dark!! You could make it much easier by putting a picture on here, or finding a picture on the internet and posting the link so that everyone can see exactly what you are talking about.
> 
> *Then you can get a solution and all will be well in the world....*


Such optimism !!!!!

What you'll probably get is several opinions on what they are, several means of getting rid of them and a couple of recipes!!!!!










Pete


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

PeteandSylv said:


> Such optimism !!!!!
> 
> What you'll probably get is several opinions on what they are, several means of getting rid of them and a couple of recipes!!!!!
> 
> ...


Talking of recipes, I see on the BBC news that there is a new restaurant serving only bugs including locusts, mealy bugs and - yes - worms! Perhaps you could become a supplier and make your fortune!


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Rema said:


> Talking of recipes, I see on the BBC news that there is a new restaurant serving only bugs including locusts, mealy bugs and - yes - worms! Perhaps you could become a supplier and make your fortune!


What, no chocolate covered ants like Harrods used to sell?

Pete


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

PeteandSylv said:


> What, no chocolate covered ants like Harrods used to sell?
> 
> Pete


Ants and termites (a la South America) are supposed to be quite delicious toasted, with a flavour similar to roasted peanuts. No, I'm not very keen on peanuts, either!


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> Ants and termites (a la South America) are supposed to be quite delicious toasted, with a flavour similar to roasted peanuts. No, I'm not very keen on peanuts, either!


I thought anything a little out of the ordinary always tasted like chicken


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Rema said:


> I thought anything a little out of the ordinary always tasted like chicken


You're not getting confused with 'cuy' (pronounced _cooey_) are you? That is supposed to taste like chicken.


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## Guest (May 8, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> You're not getting confused with 'cuy' (pronounced _cooey_) are you? That is supposed to taste like chicken.


:focus: :focus:

Anders


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

My best guess based on the scant evidence so far would be Ephestia kuehniella larvae (that's the Mediterranean Meal Moth to you and me). The caterpillars are segmented and uniform pale cream to pink and wriggle about quite a bit, and could by a stretch of the imagination be described as worms - certainly my four year old son calls them worms. Bay leaves can be effective at keeping them....at bay (oh dear) - at least from food containers etc - put a few leaves in dry produce containers...but there will be no keeping them from the house as there are probably more meal moths per square metre in the countryside at this time of year than there are people in Cyprus. They feed on dry cereal, grains, dead wood and the ploughed detritis in the fields at this time of year. There are literally billions of them, they go largely unnoticed until you put a house on a plot. We protect the cupboards and wait for the caterpillars to pupate (which they will do along ceiling joints mostly at which point they turn brown and caccoon themselves in silk - and brush them away. If you're not vigilant the nondescript brown moths will emerge from cupboards a few weeks later and any unprotected dried foodstuffs will have been contaminated. Then again it could be another of countless worm like creepy crawlies that make living in rural Cyprus such a marvelous adventure...


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

kimonas said:


> My best guess based on the scant evidence so far would be Ephestia kuehniella larvae (that's the Mediterranean Meal Moth to you and me). The caterpillars are segmented and uniform pale cream to pink and wriggle about quite a bit, and could by a stretch of the imagination be described as worms - certainly my four year old son calls them worms. Bay leaves can be effective at keeping them....at bay (oh dear) - at least from food containers etc - put a few leaves in dry produce containers...but there will be no keeping them from the house as there are probably more meal moths per square metre in the countryside at this time of year than there are people in Cyprus. They feed on dry cereal, grains, dead wood and the ploughed detritis in the fields at this time of year. There are literally billions of them, they go largely unnoticed until you put a house on a plot. We protect the cupboards and wait for the caterpillars to pupate (which they will do along ceiling joints mostly at which point they turn brown and caccoon themselves in silk - and brush them away. If you're not vigilant the nondescript brown moths will emerge from cupboards a few weeks later and any unprotected dried foodstuffs will have been contaminated. Then again it could be another of countless worm like creepy crawlies that make living in rural Cyprus such a marvelous adventure...


We get those and the caterpillars can eat their way through quite thick plastic bags where they can feed to their hearts' content and fill the empty space with cocoons. We have sticky cards that attract the moths and they stick like "sh*t to a blanket".

Will try the bay leaves!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

These things?


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## mystic (Jul 21, 2010)

Thanks everyone for replies, and apologies to Stev100 if I have unintentially hijcked your thread here, I was actually sympathising with you 

I was busy all day today, and so getting a photo has been difficult, also they seem to mostly disappear during the day. I took a pic outside our front door when I got in this evening, however, I think it will be useless as the camera was pointing up to the ceiling where they were starting to gather, and its too far away to actually see the things. As I stated in the beginning, at the moment it is mostly babies that are gathering, although we do see some big ones during the day time. The baby ones are very small, and so I doubt this photo will be of benefit. I will try to get a close-up of a bigger one tomorrow.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

mystic said:


> Thanks everyone for replies, and apologies to Stev100 if I have unintentially hijcked your thread here, I was actually sympathising with you
> 
> I was busy all day today, and so getting a photo has been difficult, also they seem to mostly disappear during the day. I took a pic outside our front door when I got in this evening, however, I think it will be useless as the camera was pointing up to the ceiling where they were starting to gather, and its too far away to actually see the things. As I stated in the beginning, at the moment it is mostly babies that are gathering, although we do see some big ones during the day time. The baby ones are very small, and so I doubt this photo will be of benefit. I will try to get a close-up of a bigger one tomorrow.
> View attachment 7814



How long are they? They look as though they are less than an inch long. And colour?


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## mystic (Jul 21, 2010)

The ones in the photo are just less than an inch long, I guess the colour would be close to beige, however the big ones are various lenghts, we have seen them up to 4 inches long, and the colour is kind of grey / black, they seem to be darker in colour the bigger they get, so the middle sized ones can be more of a brown / grey. Will try to get a better picture in the morning.


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## mystic (Jul 21, 2010)

Ok I have pics of 2 different ones from this morning, one slightly larger than the other. One is about an inch and half long, the other is about 2 inches.


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## Guest (May 9, 2013)

mystic said:


> Ok I have pics of 2 different ones from this morning, one slightly larger than the other. One is about an inch and half long, the other is about 2 inches.
> View attachment 7817
> View attachment 7818


These we also have. Not many in the house, more on the outside. We just move them to the outside when we see them

Anders


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

mystic said:


> Ok I have pics of 2 different ones from this morning, one slightly larger than the other. One is about an inch and half long, the other is about 2 inches.
> View attachment 7817
> View attachment 7818


I'm pretty sure that those are millipedes - they can be up to about 11 inches long

Millipede - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

I'm voting for millipede too. They're completely harmless and have the distinction of being the earliest land creature (according to the fossil evidence). They are de-compstors and very good for the garden. They are also one of the longest lived arthropods so think twice before killing them...


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

kimonas said:


> They are also one of the longest lived arthropods so think twice before killing them...


or they won't be !!!!!!! 

Pete


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Definitely millipedes. Mystery solved


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Veronica said:


> Definitely millipedes. Mystery solved


Are you sure? Did you count the legs?



Pete


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

No I didn't have my specs on, couldn't see properly.


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## Pam n Dave (Jun 11, 2007)

Veronica said:


> No I didn't have my specs on, couldn't see properly.


So how do you know that it wasn't a long spider then


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## mystic (Jul 21, 2010)

Thanks everyone for replies. Sorry for late response but I'm very busy these days. I'm guessing you are right in that they are millipedes. But why are they all trying to get into the house, and mostly at night? I guessed it could be the lights that initially attract them, so for 2 nights I left the outside lights off, then just put them on quickly around midnight to have a look, but alas, the walls and ceiling were still full of them, and many still got into the house. I don't want to kill these things, but we really dont want them in the house like this, its quite horrible to have them dropping off the ceiling onto us, or onto food etc. We are renting, so there is no chance to have the doors replaced to some that don't have small gaps where these things can get in so my only choice is some kind of repellent. I spoke to the owner about spraying a salty solution on the walls, but she says no we cannot do that, she is very protective of her graphiato walls. I will keep trying different insect sprays around the doors and hope that I find one that repels them. We heard this week of another family in this village who have the same problem, only theirs are in the bathroom, hundreds of them every day, so we can try to find a solution together. Thanks everyone.


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## bencooper (Mar 20, 2013)

First identify where the pests can be getting in - probably open or ill-fitting doors, and window openings without flyscreens.
For windows without flyscreens, you can easily make simple drop-in wood-framed screens with products available cheaply on the market. These would need to be easily removed if you have to access external shutters. In the summer, our (old style) wood shutters are permanently closed against direct sun, and permanently open in the winter so no need to continually remove the flyscreens. Lidl recently offered a cheap range of aluminium fly screens.

For badly fitted external doors, provide draught excluder to the frame head and jambs (you may need to put a brush on the bottom of the door) and, naturally, keep the doors closed. The draught excluder comes as self adhesive foam strip, for pennies. The brush is usually plastic or aluminium framed, cut to length and screwed or glued to the door, and all gaps must be closed.

If the cost or technology is beyond you, it's reasonable to expect the landlord to provide if you are confident of the quality of work you will likely get. In any case tell him what you want to do. There are many scenarios (those with central heating or aircon who dont want windows open, those who want continual fresh air with open windows, sliding or hinged windows etc) so you will need to tailor to your own requirements. The benefits of the foregoing will be to control other pests (including flies, mozzies, cockroaches, noseeums, occasional snakes etc) and to better climate control without resorting to poisons unfriendly to the environment.


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## mystic (Jul 21, 2010)

Thanks bencooper, all sensible advice, however we have already done most of it. We had new windows and fly screens fitted almost 2 years ago, all of which fit nice and tight, i.e. no gaps. Our main problem is the front external door, there are some gaps around it, however I have already fitted draught exluder, however the brush part that you mentioned may be beneficial, I will get one of them. We also fitted fly screen doors outside of the main external doors, i.e. the front and back door in effect each consist of 2 doors, one being a fly screen. We are well protected against things coming into the house, with the exception of these millipedes. I think our main front door needs to be replaced, however the owner will not hear of it, even if we paid for it, as it has sentimental value for her. Thanks anyway for all your advice.


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## Pam n Dave (Jun 11, 2007)

Try looking at the bottom of patio doors and windows, they may have channels in which you may find small holes to let the rainwater drain away. A year or so ago we had beasties getting in through those so filled the holes with tissue paper then removed it when the rains came.


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## Patg (Jul 19, 2012)

Don't know if anybody has looked on Google using "Millipede Infestation"? To lazy to look through 5 pages of replies!

Have a look at the following, 2nd or 3rd down the results or just click on the link:

I have an infestation of roly pollies in my house. I have tried a variety of bug sprays to kill them, but? - Yahoo! Answers

It may give an answer not already published?

Pat


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Patg said:


> Don't know if anybody has looked on Google using "Millipede Infestation"? To lazy to look through 5 pages of replies!
> 
> Have a look at the following, 2nd or 3rd down the results or just click on the link:
> 
> ...


He's not talking about millipedes but woodlice


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## Patg (Jul 19, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> He's not talking about millipedes but woodlice


I must be losing the plot here, millipedes have lots and lots of legs whilst woodlice have, apparently only 8, we definitely have a leg problem here!

Plus, woodlice look like but aren't beetles, carapace and all, millipedes look like a piece of string with legs????

OK try this one:

Pest Control Forum - Woodlice

Pat


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Plot definitely lost, methinks !

Pete


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Patg said:


> I must be losing the plot here, millipedes have lots and lots of legs whilst woodlice have, apparently only 8, we definitely have a leg problem here!
> 
> Plus, woodlice look like but aren't beetles, carapace and all, millipedes look like a piece of string with legs????
> 
> ...


The link *you* put on your previous post was from a guy who had a problem with what some people call "pill bugs" which are woodlice not millipedes which we all agree is the problem that the OP has.


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## Patg (Jul 19, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> You're not getting confused with 'cuy' (pronounced _cooey_) are you? That is supposed to taste like chicken.


Nope, too much fat, ate one in Lima, they are better known as Guinea Pigs and are cultivated in the back yard of many homes as a staple of the diet, just like we used to have chicken coops(?) in the backyard.

Cheap to raise, feed on scraps, and rapid in reproduction, perhaps part of an answer to world starvation?

Grandchildren not impressed when I told them, they were looking after the class pets for the holidays, just try to guess what they were? The pets, not the Grandchildren!

Pat


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## Patg (Jul 19, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> He's not talking about millipedes but woodlice


Yes we are talking about millipedes, I just read the full thread, with pictures and roly pollies appear to be an American name for them, read the article, it goes on to identify them by name!

The name probably comes from the fact that if you touch them they roll into a circle, they also do this when they die.

The common denominator seems to be damp, wood attracts condensation, especially if not sealed, as do concrete walls especially when using LPG appliances (water vapour), steam from cooking, damp wood on fires, air conditioning not correctly venting, you get the idea....

We used to use cheap dehumidifiers in our caravan as LPG and changing seasons caused large amounts of condensation. You bought bags of the dehumidifier agent and placed them in the holder, 2/3 pints of water per week in an area 23'x10'x8', yes it was a big van.

Pat


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## bencooper (Mar 20, 2013)

I agree that these millipedes seem to thrive in damp shady conditions. When repairing my outside patio steps, made from terrazo slabs set directly on the earth, I found a millupede factory in the void underneath where the ground had settled - dark, cool, damp with plenty of roots etc. Might be worth checking and treating any similar sources immediately next to your house to stop the pests at source.


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## mystic (Jul 21, 2010)

bencooper said:


> I agree that these millipedes seem to thrive in damp shady conditions. When repairing my outside patio steps, made from terrazo slabs set directly on the earth, I found a millupede factory in the void underneath where the ground had settled - dark, cool, damp with plenty of roots etc. Might be worth checking and treating any similar sources immediately next to your house to stop the pests at source.


Once again thanks for all the replies. With the information provided so far, I think I have an idea where they are coming from now, although I still don't understand why they are coming into the house as we don't have a damp problem.

To bencooper; Can you tell me how you 'treated' the ones that you found?


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## bencooper (Mar 20, 2013)

I haven't a massive problem with them so haven't embarked on an eradication exercise. The odd one I find I slide onto a sheet of paper and drop them in the w/c or out of the window. As to why they enter the house, I'd say they are simply nocturnal wanderers and are attracted to somewhere warm in the winter and cool in the summer. But I am fixing those doors and windows which are not tight, principly to stop the lizards. Sorry ....


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Nothing wrong with having a few house Gekkos (not lizards).

They'll patrol the walls and ceiling eating flies and insects and reducing the amount of cobwebs.

Pete


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Lizards are OK, they eat ants, trouble is the lizards are never quite hungry enough to eat them all.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Lizards are also great garden entertainment. We have hundreds of all sizes.

Pete


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## bencooper (Mar 20, 2013)

Mystic, maybe you need a few geckos? My ones leave a bit of poo (about the size of mouse scat) and I wondered what they found enough of to eat. They can apparently eat millipedes but I imagined they would leave the carapace which I dont find lying around. The lizards on the other hand have clawed feet, dont like smooth floors and walls and can get stuck into your toes if you're not careful! !


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## Big-bad_dave (Jul 17, 2014)

*Millipedes & worms*

I've just hosed down our back porch area & after about 10 minutes the 'worms' appeared...20 or 30 just wriggling around trying to get everywhere...I hosed again & yet more...I suspect there's a nest - for want of a better word - somewhere in a crack in the concrete..I can only assume these are the latest batch of young millipedes?...Not creepy but annoying!!


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## bencooper (Mar 20, 2013)

Yup, we also have an epidemic of centipedes. I think it is the first rain of the season which brought them out here in Kolossi?


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