Living in the state of Florida means tolerating numerous insect pests. Insects such as termites, ants, crickets, and roaches are just a few of the despised insects that you can expect to encounter if you buy a home within the state. In addition to insects, there is another creepy-crawly creature that absolutely terrifies Floridians during the rainy season. These well known creatures are known as millipedes, and massive armies of these pests are invading Collier County. As you can imagine, this situation does not sit well with residents, as the millipedes are terrifying to look at. If their revolting appearance is not enough, this particular millipede species is very hard to kill due to their excessively hard bodies.
Last summer several regions within the state of Florida saw an increase in the local millipede populations. Each year during the rainy season, millipedes undergo migrations into urban areas. In a somewhat unsettling twist, researchers are not even sure why these migrations occur. In fact, researchers know very little about the particular millipede species that Florida residents have the pleasure of meeting every spring. This millipede species is known as the yellow-banded millipede, and their presence in Collier County this year is nothing like their presence in the area last year.
Recently, yellow-banded millipedes made their annual journey into urban areas of Florida. However, this year Collier County is seeing “uncountable hoards” of yellow-banded millipedes entering populated areas where they are tormenting residents. This millipede species was first discovered in Florida in 2001. The first specimen was found in the Florida Keys, which is not far from the Caribbean islands where they are native. Annual trends suggest that these millipedes are progressively moving northward through the state. The University of Florida IFAS Extension Service has been handing out pamphlets to concerned Collier County residents. Researchers know very little about these millipedes, but luckily, the relatively dry air within houses and buildings causes these creatures to die within a short amount of time.
Have you ever heard of millipede invasions?