Nature Note: A Whole Lotta Legs

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LOTS OF LEGS characterize both millipedes and centipedes, but the two creatures have a lot of differences.

Millipedes eat rotting plants and are likely to shyly curl up when you find and/or handle them. Centipedes are hunters and will quickly scoot away or even BITE if handled! Both come in a variety of sizes and colors as there are many species of each.

Check out the leg placement on this millipede—one of the best ways to distinguish them from centipedes and very easy to see on this large specimen.

Look for both under logs—each tasked with the role of either plant-eater or hunter. Don’t touch unless you’re sure of the identification—some millipedes can stain your skin with their defensive secretions, and a centipede’s bite can really hurt! For more about millipedes compared to centipedes, click here!