millipede
Hi,
Can you help me identify this millipede?i found it under a rock in Mt. Spil, Manisa , Turkey. I think someone has the picture of the same specie from Lesvos, Greece.
Serhan

Hi Serhan,
We were never able to identify the Lesvian Millipedes. Now that your photo has arrived, we will put renewed energy into trying to find an accurate identification.

Update: (01/20/2008) Greece millipedes
While scrolling through sites tonight, I came across yours, and I can answer many of the questions, though it is late. Anyhow, there are two pictures of a lovely black millipede fro, Greece with bright yellow spots down the midbody and yellow-spottwed margins. This is a species of Melaphe (order Polydesmida: family Xystodesmidae).
Rowland Shelley ,North Carolina State Museum of Natural Science

what does it eat?
What a fantastic, fun and informative site! Good for you — and great for the rest of us. Can you identify this species of millipede for me? This one was photographed in early August in a bushlot near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I know they eat decaying plant and organic matter but would like to know if millipedes eat any type of fungi? Will look forward to hearing from you at the earliest time possible.
Sincerely,
Celina in Canada

Hi Celina,
What a marvelous photo of an American Giant Millipede, Narceus americanus. Since Millipedes feed on decaying organic matter, and mushrooms also depend on decaying organic matter as a food source, they share the same habitat. As to whether the Millipedes would eat fungus, we see no reason why they wouldn’t, though have no concrete information regarding this presumption.

Update: (01/20/2008) Millipede IDs
2/5/06 Narceus americanus (Beauvois) (Spirobolida: Spirobolidae) in typical coloration.
Rowland Shelley
North Carolina State Museum of Natural Science

indonesian millipede?
hi bugman,
I sent an email about a week ago and have seen a few updates on your site, but nothing about my little bug. I will attach pictures again, in case you didn’t get the first email, and if you did sorry to bug you…pardon the pun. he was found crawling across my dining room floor in december (-25 degrees Celsius outside). the best i have come to identifying him is that he is a millipede, not common to Canada, (at least I don’t think so). with some help from my biology teacher we figure he may be of the order chordeumida. He’s about two inches long, black and yellow banded, and has around 28 body segments, and pinkish legs. he greatly resembles the photo sent in in October, by Andre Boutin-Maloney, who also lives in Saskatchewan. I’ve got him set up in a terrarium with lots of humidity and veggies to eat, and he’s doing well, but I’d really like to know more specifically what type of pet it is I have taken in. thanks for any help you can offer,
Jamey Parker

Hi Jamey,
Sorry for the delay. One of our favorite sources for identification BugGuide, does not mention the order Chordeumida. Similar looking Millipedes are put in the order Spirobolida and BugGuide says there are about 35 species north of Mexico. We were never able to positively identify Andre’s Millipede and sadly, we are unable to give you anything more specific. Try a museum of natural history.

Update: (01/20/2008) Millipede IDs
1/11/06 . An introduced representative of the tropical family Rhinocricidae (Spirobolida), introduced to Canada where it cannot survive outdoors in winter.
Rowland Shelley
North Carolina State Museum of Natural Science

centipedes
Hello folks, I hope all is well. On a hike at a local conservation area I photographed this mass! Is it centipede larva? Take Care, Janet from Dundas, Ontario

Hi Janet,
According to BugGuide, these Millipedes are in the order Polydesmida, the Flat Backed Millipedes. Sometimes the aggregate after rains.

Update: (01/20/2008) Millipede IDs
9/19/05 . Apheloria virginiensis corrugata (Koch) (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae), 1 adult plus juveniles.
Rowland Shelley
North Carolina State Museum of Natural Science

hope it doesn’t bite!!!
Hi Bugman!
LOVE your site. I’ll be visiting a lot! Can you tell me what this beast is? I can’t tell if it is a centipede or a millipede. He was scurrying across our patio here in Apex, North Carolina. Thanks!
Nancy Nice

Hi Nancy Nice,
The difference between Millipedes and Centipedes is that Centipedes have one pair of legs per segment and Millipedes have two pairs of legs per segment. We couldn’t locate a species name for your Millipede, so we contacted Eric Eaton. Here is his response: “It is a flat-backed millipede (Polydesmida order). Very pretty, but many species like this secrete a cyanide compound to defend themselves. As long as you don’t eat one or lick it, you should survive.”

Update: (01/20/2008) Millipede IDs
6/9/05 . Apex, NC. Apheloria tigana Chamberlin, 1939 (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae)
Rowland Shelley
North Carolina State Museum of Natural Science

Millipedes? Help…
Dear Bugman,
I recently moved into an large, old house in Italy and have been overrun by a millipede-like bug. Approximately 20 of these appear every day and seem to prefer affixing themselves to the ceiling. I have been blasting them daily with bugspray which is reducing their numbers, but would like to find their lair and get rid of them completely. Any advice….?
Thanks
Dom

Hi Dom,
You do have millipedes. They like damp conditions, and other than being a nuisance, they are not harmful. Populations tend to rise and fall with seasonal and weather conditions, and the drier days of summer should see the numbers decrease. Millipedes also do not wander far from damp ground, and finding them on the ceiling might be a sign of rotting wood in the walls. Sorry, I can’t give you any erradication advice.

Update: (01/20/2008) Millipede IDs
2/3/05 . Probably a representative of the Julidae (Julida) which are common in Europe .
Rowland Shelley
North Carolina State Museum of Natural Science