Yellow-spotted Millipede

Miscellaneous Insects Types of Insects Banana Slug Caddisfly Carpenter Ant Cicada Cinnebar Caterpillar Cricket Dobsonfly Earthworm Grasshopper Ladybug Praying Mantid Wolly Bear Caterpillar

Millipedes are in the class Diplopoda and technically they are not insects.

Many people learn about millipedes in terms of the literal translation of the name, thousand foot insects. Characteristically millipedes do have many feet, but none reaches the thousand mark. Actually, having two pair of legs per body segment is the defining characteristic of millipedes around the world. This fact stands in opposition to centipedes, which have one pair of legs per body segment.

There are over ten thousand identified millipede species in the world. The yellow-spotted millipede is one of them. It is an inhabitant of West Coast forest floors. You can easily find them by turning over leaves.

Be careful around them, they secrete cyanide as a defense mechanism and it is poisonous.

© 2005 Patricia A. Michaels