Host Plants:
Where Found:
Worldwide except in Arctic environments
Description:
Millipedes are not insects, but rather among the first invertebrate animals that ever roamed the planet. Millipedes are usually larger than centipedes, and have two pairs of tiny feet per body segment.
Beneficial Because:
Millipedes help process plant material into organic matter while aerating the soil.
Food and Habitat:
Millipedes are vegetarians, eating decomposing leaves and roots. They avoid midday heat by resting beneath mulch, which also provides cover from flooding rains.
Attracting More:
Populations of millipedes regulate themselves, though they have been known to eat potatoes and other root crops when too many were present. These are long-lived creatures that often live for several years.
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