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| Millipedes |
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Millipedes are quite common in gardens, mainly feeding on decaying plant material, only occasionally causing damage to plants such as; bulbs, potato tubers, seedlings and strawberry fruit.
The adult millipede can grow up to 40mm (1 ½”) long, is black, brownish or creamy white in colour, and has two pairs of legs on each body segment.
The spotted snake millipede does most damage.
This one grows up to 20mm (¾”) long; it is creamy white, with a row of red dots down the sides of the body.
There are no pesticides available to the amateur gardener to control them.
To avoid plant damage grow less susceptible potato cultivars, and keep strawberry fruit off the ground by putting straw underneath them.
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