Ew! Millipedes!

[nenella]

Originally Posted by MAli

I don't have much experience growing potted plants but I can tell you about the benefits inside my tanks where I grow my plants mounted. I use mainly springtails and isopods as my free janitorial service in my tanks. They consume any rotting/decaying plant matter and mold which is pretty common in newly set up enclosures. They are the main reason my tank smell very clean and refreshing even though it's basically a closed loop system. A few worms also help aerate your media and turn it into a valuable source of nutrients for your plants.

If there is enough interest here I can start another thread showing how I use and culture them as I do offer some for sale every now and then. I would highly recommend them and they are Harmless to you and your plants.

Hope that helps and sorry if I'm starting to hijack OP.
Cheers

I don't consider a it a Real Hijack
Please do start a new thread it is an extremely interesting subject! ...

[nenella]

Originally Posted by lepetitmartien

Well, I think there's a big mistake regarding orchids here…

You think millipedes are cute, cool arthopods?
And that centipedes are horrible nasty buggers?

You are right, but terribly wrong. And I mean wrong!

Almost all millipedes are vegans. If they like to be amongst your orchids, it means something there is edible… see what I mean?

Centipedes are carnivorous. They eat insects and arthropods around, just like spiders they are allies. I know they can bite, but most of the time, you won't have to bother, save if you're crushing them but mistake. Watch where you put your big fingers, and if you stumble on one, it'll go, fast, as they are fleeing light, and will.

Note that I don't think to have those inside is a good thing, but if you do, it means that it's wet in there and that they find something to eat (and no, it's not you, as you're identified as "nasty big crusher to flee triple fast").

Hi le petit martien & welcome to OB!
I totally agree with what you say! I only re iterated about my hate of centipedes as I just had one crawl over my leg (in January this year ) at 3 am in the morning whilst in bed sleeping. .. I still can't believe that i did not have a swipe at it with my other leg !!! Instead woke husband up and got him to put the light on without budging.. ended up smashing it to pulp as I have been told that if you cut them in half they redevelop into 2 centipedes instead of one...
The centipede in question was between 12- 15 cms long.

[Rowangreen]

I have absolutely no problem with this thread going off into a discussion of the pros and cons of various critters! Carry on *G*

[NatalieS]

Originally Posted by nenella

Hi le petit martien & welcome to OB!
I totally agree with what you say! I only re iterated about my hate of centipedes as I just had one crawl over my leg (in January this year ) at 3 am in the morning whilst in bed sleeping. .. I still can't believe that i did not have a swipe at it with my other leg !!! Instead woke husband up and got him to put the light on without budging.. ended up smashing it to pulp as I have been told that if you cut them in half they redevelop into 2 centipedes instead of one...
The centipede in question was between 12- 15 cms long.

GAH!!! I would've smooshed that thing to smithereens as well! I also would not have been able to go back to sleep...

[lepetitmartien]

Originally Posted by nenella

Hi le petit martien & welcome to OB!

I pled guilty!

I still can't believe that i did not have a swipe at it with my other leg !!! Instead woke husband up and got him to put the light on without budging.. ended up smashing it to pulp as I have been told that if you cut them in half they redevelop into 2 centipedes instead of one...
The centipede in question was between 12- 15 cms long.

Some have all the luck…

Now, never heard of this thing of centipedes growing out of two halves. It works with earthworms but they are not earthworms. Now they may be able to regrow pedes missing. It's really a part of arthropods biology I don't know.

Millipedes eat usually dead or rotting plants, but they can have a go at living plants. I have no opinion on the edibility of orchids for them, but I wouldn't try.

Snails, slugs will go at anything edible. And they like pseudobulbs.

(note, I'm talking about european species, I can't tell it'll go for all over the world)(especially where you can have 30cm long millipedes.

Now I'm very interested into your use of them too. If they can be auxiliaries, it's work not to be done by us and trouble less, and nasty chemicals too.