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Thursday, February 6, 2025

Cyanide Poisonous But Useful Millipedes Yellow-spotted

 


The poisonous but very useful decomposer. Yellow-spotted millipede is also known as yellow-dotted millipede, almond-scented millipede, cyanide millipede.

Orthomorpha coarctata is a species of millipede belonging to the Paradoxosomatidae family. Here are some important facts about this species:


Physical Characteristics

1. Body shape: Long, slender, and cylindrical, similar to a centipede.

2. Color: Dark brown or black with bright yellow or orange spots or dots along the back.

3. Size: Usually about 3-5 cm (1.2-2 inches) long.


Habitat and Distribution

1. Native area: Southeast Asia, including countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

2. Habitat: Found in humid environments, such as tropical forests, grasslands, and agricultural areas.

For region: Western North America, from British Columbia to California. With a slightly flattened back rather than cylindrical shape, it is known as Harpaphe haydeniana.


Behavior and Ecology

1. Food: Detritivores, feeding on decaying plant matter, fungi, and bacteria.

2. Burrowing behavior: Millipedes such as Orthomorpha coarctata are known to burrow in soil and leaf litter, helping to break down organic matter and recycle nutrients. However, their burrows are shallow, only about 1-2 cm, not as deep as wormholes. Some writings mention that millipede burrows in the soil reach a depth of 30 cm following rotten wood roots. Meanwhile, earthworm burrows can reach a depth of 2 meters from the ground surface.


Reproduction and Life Cycle

1. Mating: Male millipedes perform elaborate courtship rituals to attract female millipedes.

2. Eggs: Female millipedes lay eggs in protected locations, which hatch into legless larvae after a few weeks.

3. Molting: Young millipedes undergo several molts as they grow, eventually reaching adulthood after a few months.


Fun Facts

1. Unique name: The species name "coarctata" comes from the Latin word "coarctare," meaning "to press together," which likely refers to the millipede's body shape.

2. Important ecological role: As a detritivore, Orthomorpha coarctata helps break down organic matter, recycle nutrients, and contribute to soil health.


Orthomorpha coarctata, like many other centipedes, has a defense mechanism that involves releasing chemicals to deter predators. These chemicals can be toxic to some animals, but the level of toxicity varies depending on the species and the specific chemicals released.


Toxicity level:

Orthomorpha coarctata is considered mildly toxic. Its defensive secretions contain toxic chemicals that contain a variety of harmful chemicals, such as hydrochloric acid, hydrogen cyanide, organic acids, phenols, cresols, benzoquinones, and hydroquinones, which can cause:

1. Irritation: Skin and eye irritation in humans, especially if handled carelessly.

2. Allergic reactions: Some people may experience allergic reactions, such as itching, redness, or swelling, after exposure to centipede secretions.


Precautions:

If you need to handle Orthomorpha coarctata or other centipedes, take the following precautions:

1. Wear gloves: Protect your skin from potential irritants.

2. Avoid touching your eyes: Wash your hands thoroughly after handling millipedes.

3. Keep away from pets: Millipede secretions can be toxic to pets, especially if swallowed.


Important notes:

Although Orthomorpha coarctata is mildly toxic, it is usually not life-threatening to humans. If you experience serious symptoms or problems after exposure, seek medical attention immediately.

There are reports that they attack earthworms. Actually, these millipedes prefer to be above ground. While earthworms live in the soil. If earthworms come to the surface, they may be attacked by millipedes.


Millipedes, including the yellow-spotted millipede, generally have limited or blind vision. This is the explanation:

- Simple eyes: Millipedes have simple eyes, also known as ocelli, which can detect light and dark but cannot form images.

- No compound eyes: Unlike insects, millipedes do not have compound eyes, which consist of multiple lenses and can detect movement and detail.

- Poor eyesight: Millipedes rely more on their sense of touch and smell to navigate their environment.


Despite their limited vision, millipedes can:

- Detect vibrations: Millipedes can sense vibrations in the ground, helping them detect potential threats or prey.

- Follow chemical trails: Millipedes use their antennae to detect chemical cues, such as pheromones, to find food, mate, or shelter.

So, although millipedes may not have sharp eyesight, they have developed other senses to explore and interact with their environment.


Application to Plant Seedlings

Because they can release poison and its aroma, as well as its striking color as a warning, millipedes have only few natural predators. Other animals tend to avoid millipedes.

Therefore, I use it to protect red cayenne pepper seedlings that are being planted. Millipedes do not eat living plants. Plant pests such as caterpillars, ants, whiteflies, snails, grasshoppers, flies, lizards, and others, will stay away. Because of the smell of the poison, cats, dogs, and mice also stay away. I don't know yet the reaction of squirrels, rabbits and marmots, and other disturbing herbivores or pests that eat plants.


The shape of the pot with a lip that has a thick and wide horizontal part of about 5 millimeters, prevents millipedes from getting out of the pot. Because millipedes can walk on vertical walls, but cannot walk on the underside of horizontal walls, such as ceilings.

The yellow spots on these millipedes make them look great as decorations in plant pots. The yellow spots contrast with the color of the soil, and they appear to be moving.

They are called detritivores because millipedes are organisms that decompose and eat dead and decaying organic matter, recycling it back into the ecosystem as energy and nutrients so that it can be reabsorbed by primary producers (plants, phytoplankton, oceanic cyanobacteria). So the presence of millipedes in pots can help decompose organic matter so that it produces compost for red cayenne peppers that are growing in the pot.


Used bottle of mineral water can be used as pot cover, so that millipedes cannot get out. In the photo above, the plastic water bottle is cut and the top end or cone is used to cover the pot. The cover also prevents pests from attacking the plants. Make sure the lip of the pot is tight with the inside of the cone of the mineral water bottle.

If you are bothered by the presence of millipedes, then prevent or avoid damp places. You can do this by placing silica gel in the cupboard, moisture absorbers (such as: Vacplus, Natruth), desiccant (such as: Griot's garage, wisedry, wisesorb), dehumidifiers (such as: Tabyik, ToLife, NineSky), and so on. If necessary, insecticides are generally quite effective against millipedes.