PEOPLE in Kinlochbervie fear that they may face another invasion of millipedes in the area, three years after "the black plague" when houses were infested with the multi-legged arthropods.So far it has been a mystery why the nocturnal creatures keep appearing in the townships of Droman and Balchrick, a few miles north-west of Kinlochbervie.
In June 2006, millions of them invaded houses, making life a misery for residents. The bugs climbed walls, dropped onto food as they died and crawled over people as they slept in bed. They crossed the road in such numbers that some people turned back rather than walk through them.
Individual householders could not keep them out and they appealed to the council and various environmental bodies "to do something".
Over the past few weeks they have re-appeared in the area, although not in the numbers reported before. As none were seen last year, folk are wondering why they have decided to return this summer.
Bridget Graham at Balchrick Post Office told us: "Over the past couple of weeks we have noticed the millipedes returning again but not in the numbers they were a few years ago.
"We have tried everything to get rid of them because they are horrible when they are indoors. The trouble is that you don't want to put any kind of chemicals down because we are a crofting area with sheep and cattle around, and of course pet dogs and cats. Also, the land is part of the John Muir Trust estate and they will not allow anything like that.
"We have been in contact with the council and other experts to try and find a solution but there does not seem to be one. My daughter was on the internet but still couldn't find anything.
"Apparently there is a powder you can put down, but I don't know how successful that is. I tried talcum powder, as someone said that worked, but it didn't.
"What I can't understand is that, until five years ago, I had never seen a millipede here, but then they suddenly appeared. We don't know why, nor why it is only in this small area of the north-west. It could be climate change, but then it happened so quickly. If anyone out there can help, then we would be grateful."
This year, the beasties have only been seen in Balchrick – not Droman. One Balchrick resident said there were up to 100 in his house.
Our Kinlochbervie correspondent, Andrew Marshall, says: "An expert opinion was that if the grass was kept short by grazing animals, the millipedes would disappear. It seems the grass in Droman is shorter now, but near a house invaded in Balchrick there is an ungrazed field."
Andrew Campbell, of the John Muir Trust, told us: "We are very aware of the situation and I was up there myself a couple of years ago and was horrified at how many there were.
"They must be a real nuisance to the people there. We did a bit of research into it in preparation for their appearing last year but when they never did we assumed they had gone.
"I suppose you can say they are a natural phenomenon and like many insects and small animals they have their peaks and troughs. But why they should appear in just this small area of the north-west, we have no idea – they are nowhere else on the west coast as far as I know.
"What can be done? Nothing comes to mind. If you use a spray, then that will have an effect on other species. I heard in one place in Europe they erected a wall made of something like stainless steel around the whole area and the millipedes could not climb up the walls because they kept sliding down. That was effective but obviously not practical here.
"The John Muir Trust is naturally concerned about what is happening as we want the communities who are living and working on our land to be in a safe, healthy and comfortable environment, but we are defeated by this one. Individuals must take their own precautions, such as not leaving outside lights on. Like other nocturnal creatures they are attracted to light.
"This was a crofting area but is not so intensively cultivated now so maybe this has created a habitat which is good for them.
"We are intrinsically against chemicals or pesticides being used, but we can understand people who are being affected by this wanting to find something which can prevent the millipedes infesting their homes."
Millipedes are active at night and spend most of their life in moist soil and decaying vegetation. They are nature's recyclers as most eat decaying leaves and wood and other small pieces of dead plants. They are often confused with centipedes because they look similar – centipedes have poisonous bites but millipedes do not.
Alison Cameron
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