Arthropods with two pairs of legs per segment.
Millipede ( Latin "mille" and "pes" - thousand feet) is an arthropod with two pairs of legs per body segment, with the exception of the head (no legs) and the first few segments which often only have single pairs of legs. Pairs of legs occur due to the fusing of adjacent segments. Millipedes belong to the class Diplopoda.
The majority of millipedes have long elongated, cylindrical bodies. Many can roll up in a similar way as a pill-bug (wood lice).
Despite their name, no millipede has 1000 legs. The most ever recorded is 750, and most common species have between 36 and 400 legs.
The similar centipede tends to have less legs (only one pair per segment), moves more quickly, and the legs tend to be longer relative to the width of the body.
The majority of millipedes are herbivores and usually feed on decomposing plant matter or organic matter present in soil. In a horticultural setting, they are often found near compost heaps. The few carnivorous species feed on small insects, centipedes, and earthworms.
Use this tag for all questions about millipedes - are they posing a problem, does a compost heap have too many, etc.
