Welcome back to a brand new Creepy Crawly Halloween post! Today we are going to learn all about Millipedes! Now if you’re anything like me, you aren’t a fan of things with lots of little legs (I mean, I have a legitimate phobia of ants. I have been terrified of them since I was a wee lass). BUT, just because they make my skin crawl doesn’t mean they aren’t cool and we shouldn’t learn all about them. So, let's get all the cringes and full-body “nope nope nopes” out of the way and wiggle on into the world of millipedes.
Millipedes are a type of arthropod that is widely distributed around the world. There are approximately 10,000 different species of millipedes present in the world today. Much to my own personal horror, the largest species, the giant African millipede, can reach lengths of around 11 inches (28 cm). Other common species range in length from 0.08 inches (2 cm) to 4 inches (10 cm). All species of millipedes have approximately 200 pairs of legs. Their bodies are separated into segments called diplosomites, which are actually two trunk segments fused together. Each of these segments contains two pairs of legs, excluding the head, which is legless, and the next three segments behind the head, which all contain one pair of legs.
Most millipedes feed on decaying organic matter, like dead leaves and other plants, but some species may injure living plants if dead plant matter is scarce. When millipedes feel threatened, they do not bite like their centipede friends. Instead, they tuck their head into a tight coil, exposing their tough exoskeleton while protecting areas that would be more susceptible to injury.
While millipedes much prefer to live outside in piles of damp, decaying organic matter, they sometimes accidentally make their ways into our homes. You don’t have to worry about them too much if they find their way inside. They do not bite, sting, transmit disease, infest food, or destroy clothing or wood. They also have high moisture requirements, so they only survive for a day or two unless there are very damp conditions (like in a leaky basement).
Thank you for learning with me! I want you all to appreciate just how difficult it was for me to research for this post. There were even a couple of times where I just had to walk around and take a break because of all the full-body nopes anytime I saw a picture with all their little legs. In spite of all of this, I am glad I know more about millipedes now and am less afraid of them. I totally thought they were little biters, and now that I know that they aren’t I will *hopefully* freak out less when I see them. What surprised you most about millipedes? Let me know below!
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/animal/millipede
https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef645
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