Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Those Creepy Millipedes

By: Tom Berg

Anyone who digs around in the dirt or leaf litter – or who has lifted a rotting log to see what is under it – has probably seen one or more species of millipedes. Millipedes are those creepy, crawly, many-legged creatures that usually scurry away as soon as you uncover them. Most of the ones people see in their yard or in forests are orange, red, brown or black, but they can be a variety of colors.

Millipedes are extremely common arthropods, and they are found all around the world. Some sources say there are 7,000 species of millipedes in the world, while others say the number is actually about 12,000 species. Wikipedia reports that there are an estimated 80,000 species of millipedes worldwide, but only about 10,000 of those species have actually been identified.  That’s pretty amazing.

The millipede shown here is from the order Polydesmida, which is the largest order of millipedes. There are about 3,500 species of Polydesmida millipedes. They are sometimes called flat-backed millipedes, and some of them can get very large (as much as 5 inches long). Like all other millipedes, they have many pairs of legs.

Some species of millipedes have simple eyes, while others like Polydesmida millipedes have no eyes at all and are actually blind. That explains why some millipedes flee when uncovered (and they see light) and why other millipedes ignore you completely as they walk along the forest floor.

Millipedes can live almost anywhere, but forests and the moist leaf litter on the forest floor are prime habitat for them. The reason is simple: millipedes eat rotting leaves and decaying plants. In fact, millipedes are an important part of the ecosystem that helps break down organic materials during decomposition.

Although most species of millipedes in the US are harmless, some are capable of excreting acids or other fluids that can be irritating to the skin, especially for people with sensitive skin. So it is best to handle them with gloves or better yet, don’t handle them at all.

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