FaunaHub

Millipede (class Diplopoda)

InvertebrateMyriapodDetritivore

A flat-backed millipede (Polydesmus) showing its many body segments and legs.

Flat-backed millipede (Polydesmus angustus).

Image: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Overview

Millipedes (class Diplopoda) are slow-moving, many-legged arthropods of the myriapod group — relatives of centipedes, but very different in lifestyle. Their name means “thousand feet,” though no species actually has that many. The key feature that defines them is having two pairs of legs on most body segments (whereas centipedes have one), giving the body a rippling, rolling wave of legs as it moves.

Unlike the predatory centipedes, millipedes are gentle recyclers that feed on decaying plant material and help build healthy soil.

Note: millipedes are diverse, with many shapes and sizes; treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Millipedes live in damp habitats worldwide — in leaf litter, under logs and stones, in soil, and in rotting wood — wherever there is decaying plant matter and moisture. They lose water easily, so they stay in humid microhabitats and are most active at night.

Diet

Most millipedes are detritivores, feeding on dead leaves, rotting wood, and other decaying plant material. By breaking this matter down, they recycle nutrients and improve soil — an important, if quiet, ecological service. A few eat fungi or living plant tissue.

Behavior

Millipedes move slowly, with their many legs working in coordinated waves to push the body through soil and litter. Rather than running from danger like a centipede, a millipede typically coils into a tight spiral to protect its soft underside, and many also release defensive chemicals from glands along the body to deter predators. They are harmless to people, though the defensive secretions of some can irritate skin.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Millipedes are valuable decomposers that enrich soil, and most are completely harmless. Occasionally large numbers gather in gardens or homes in damp conditions, and the defensive fluids of some species can stain or irritate skin, so it is best not to handle them roughly. Consult authoritative sources for specific species.

More photos of the millipede

A millipede on the forest floor.

A millipede (Diplopoda), Kakum National Park.

Image: Ibnali1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently Asked Questions — Millipede

Do millipedes really have a thousand legs?
No — the name exaggerates. Most millipedes have a few dozen to a few hundred legs, with two pairs on most body segments. The total varies by species and grows as the animal adds segments while moulting, but it is far below a thousand for almost all of them.
How do you tell a millipede from a centipede?
Count the legs per segment and watch how it behaves. Millipedes have two pairs of legs on most segments, move slowly, and eat decaying plants; centipedes have one pair per segment, move quickly, and are venomous predators. Millipedes are also usually more rounded, centipedes flatter.
Are millipedes dangerous?
Millipedes are harmless to people — they don't bite or sting. Their defence is to curl up and release deterrent chemicals, and in some species these secretions can irritate or stain skin, so it's best not to handle them roughly or rub your eyes afterwards. This page is educational only.
What do millipedes eat?
Most millipedes are detritivores that feed on dead leaves, rotting wood, and other decaying plant material, recycling nutrients back into the soil. A few species eat fungi or, occasionally, living plant matter.

Sources and further reading

Authoritative wildlife references used for general educational context. Conservation status should always be verified against current IUCN Red List data. External links open in a new tab.