Monday, April 14, 2008

Estate orders blackout to foil millipede invasion

Residents of a remote Highland estate are employing wartime blackout procedures to prevent thousands of creepy-crawlies invading their homes.

For the past four years a swarm of rare millipedes has affected homes on the Sandwood estate in Sutherland in Scotland.

The arthropods are attracted by light, and the conservation group that owns the land hopes to halt the invasion this spring by preventing light escaping from buildings.

About 100 people live on the estate, and most of them have stories to tell of millipedes getting in baths, bedrooms and cupboards.

Cathel Morrison, of the John Muir Trust, said: "We have been taking advice from millipede experts. Experience in Australia has found that blacking out homes has helped deter these nocturnal visitors as millipedes are drawn to light at night.

"We will therefore be advising a wartime blackout for residents this spring."

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