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INTRODUCTION. Millipedes are sometimes called thousand-leggers, but they usually have 30-90+ pairs of legs.  They are widely distributed throughout the United States and most of the world, with about 1,000 species occurring in the U.S.

RECOGNITION. Adults about 1/16-4 1/2in (2-115 mm) long, usually cylindrical and wormlike but some slightly flattened.  Color usually blackish or brownish but some red, orange, or with mottled patterns.  With 1 pair short, 7-segmented antennae.  Usually a cluster of simple eyes (ocelli) on each side of head.  Most body segments bear 2 pairs of legs, except first 3-4 segments and last 1-3 segments which have 1 pair or no legs.

     First instar millipedes usually have no more than 7 body segments and 3 pairs of legs.  Additional segments and pairs of legs are added with each molt.

HABITS. Millipedes have high moisture needs, like pillbugs and sowbugs.  They are typically found in areas of high moisture and decaying vegetation such as under trash, piles of grass clippings, flower-bed mulches, leaf litter, etc.  Millipedes are nocturnal or active at night.  Sometimes, and usually in the autumn, millipedes will migrate in great numbers.  This is thought to be the result of natural hibernation movement, heavy rains and a rising water table forcing them out of their natural abodes, warm temperatures in late autumn, their apparent hibit of crawling up such things as trees and walls for mating purposes, and/or extremely high populations building up under very favorable conditions, followed by drought.  This can involve several hundred individuals to hundreds of thousands, sometimes several million millipedes.  They usually do not survive indoors for more than a few days unless there are high moisture conditions and a food supply present.

 

 

 

 

 

     Millipedes are primarily scavengers and feed on decaying organic matter, usually plant material but occasionally o n dead insects, earthworms, and snails.  They may attack living plants during dry periods in order to obtain needed moisture.

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