What Do Millipedes Eat?

Literally called bugs with a thousand pairs of legs, millipedes are fascinating creatures on earth. They love to eat what no one else does. So what do millipedes eat, you ask? You will have to read below to find out!

Often confused with their cousins, the centipedes, millipedes are harmless little bugs that are good to have around. In fact, many people like to keep them as pets.

They come from the Diplopoda class of insects, and there are about 7,000 species of millipedes. Nearly 1/5th of those millipede species can be found in the United States.

The reason they are useful to humans is that they eat a lot of stuff that we don’t know what to do with, like decaying leaves, mulch, flower buds, other organic material, fungi, and other bugs.

Let’s learn a bit more about these fascinating creatures and what they love to munch on.

What Do They Eat?

Millipedes are like nature’s cleaning crew. Anything that’s decaying – millipedes are there. They don’t care if it is organic matter, plants, animals, insects, or whatnot.

Millipedes are omnivores and one of the very few in the insect world. Some scientists prefer the term detritivores because these worms love to eat detritus.

They don’t eat anything alive – only the dead and decaying. If the zombie apocalypse were upon us, millipedes would probably be our greatest friends!

Millipedes are an important part of the ecosystem in a forest. After all, when the plants and animals are dead and gone, who will come to decompose them? Why the millipedes, of course!

Millipedes are also somewhat opportunistic – they can eat just about anything, and they aren’t choosy. Since they only feed on detritus, not much is known about their preferences.

When people compare millipedes with centipedes, this is one important point that stands out – centipedes are carnivorous, and they are also fierce fighters. They love to bite and sting.

Millipedes are gentle and soft-hearted creatures who wait before you die to feed on you rather than trying to kill you themselves!

What Do They Eat in the Wild?

We said they are opportunistic, but here are a few things we definitely know they eat.

• Decaying carcasses
• Dead plant material, like dead leaves or flower buds
• Decaying tree bark
• Dead bugs
• Moss
• Mushrooms
• Other Fungi
• Decaying fruits and vegetables
• Dead grass

One thing that’s consistent about them is that they love moist environments. Wherever you find millipedes, there is sure to be a really damp environment.

If you have had rainfall recently in your area, millipedes will come crawling in the soil, soaking up all that water.

By the way, they are also consummate hiders; you will only find them in places where you don’t expect to find anything – they literally like living under a rock!

Moisture helps the process of decomposition, which makes things extra yummy for our 100-legged friends.

Rotten leaves, fallen branches, and dead plants all beckon millipedes like nightclubs call youngsters on a Friday night. They don their best party wear and head towards decaying matter like it is an all-you-can-eat buffet at a five-star restaurant.

The one thing that these gentle creatures abhor in their diets is – you guessed it – anything fresh. They just can’t stand what you and I might call “healthy” food.

What Do They Eat as Pets?

Some millipedes, like the Giant Millipede (Archispirostreptus Gigas), make for wonderful pets if you are into wriggly creepy crawlies.

These gentle giants can be kept in small tanks inside your home, and they love to munch on a lot of things that are quite normal for a millipede.

Here’s what you can feed your giant millipede in your home:

• Cat or dog foods (but only the wet ones)
• Decaying bark or other plant matter
• Fruits & vegetables
• Moss

Apart from their food, it is important to maintain the right moisture and temperature level for these pests. As we said earlier, millipedes absolutely love damp environments.

If you can put in places to hide under in your tank, like small decorative stones or pieces of wood, these guys will often dig themselves in deep, only to be seen if you stir the tank a little bit.

Food scraps from your table are something else you can consider giving these bugs, especially if the scraps are of fresh foods like fruits or veggies.

Make sure that you keep them happy with lots of different varieties of foods since they are known to be very open to exploration as far as food choices are concerned.

Millipedes don’t need a water dish either, like other small pets. Keep your tank moist, mist it a little now and then, and your millipedes are capable enough to absorb the water themselves.

How Does a Millipede Eat Food?

Millipedes have mandibles (jaws), like many other insects and larvae. Unlike others, they also have a set of small teeth.

Once millipedes hatch, they need about a year to reach their adult stage, though some species might take two to five years. A few lazy bums may take up to 10 years to become adults!

Since millipedes live long and healthy lives, having jaws and teeth is important for them so that they can get in some good meals.

How Much Should You Feed Them?

Millipedes are big eaters. They love to eat the dead and decaying matter around them, so much so that they can eat many times their body weight.

When they hatch, they start off with the softer stuff like plant leaves and organic matter available on the forest ground.

As they grow older, they can go on to try newer things and build their preferences. If you try offering many types of foods to your pet millipedes, you will find that they eventually tend towards some foods more than others.

To start feeding your millipede friends, add about one cup or shallow dish full of moist, wet, organic matter to their tanks. Keep changing what detritus you offer every day.

If you find that some of your cups are going empty and others are returning back half-eaten or untouched, you will know what the little guys are loving.

There’s a lot that a millipede can eat, despite its small size. Its powerful teeth and mandibles are designed to break down just about anything.

So, even if you are starting only with baby millipedes, make sure to always keep lots of food around in their tank. They won’t disappoint you with their appetites.

In fact, these guys can often grow up to be almost a foot in size, and it is all thanks to their voracious appetites.

What Eats Them?

Given their rather diminutive size, it’s obvious that these defenseless creatures have many who love to prey on them. Rodents, reptiles, birds, bugs, you name it – everybody gets to feast on their juicy and squishy little bodies.

Here are a few of the higher-ups in the ecosystem who take a bite out of the millipede:

• Rats,
• Lizards,
• Frogs,
• Birds,
• Tortoises,
• Beetles,
• Scorpions,
• Spiders,
• Hedgehogs

The list is not exhaustive, and any small animals, insects, or birds you think of can probably be added to it easily.

The only defense that these poor guys have to offer is to hide beneath rocks and tree branches, where they “hope” that they won’t be found. Sadly, most of the time, it is not enough.

How Do You Get Rid of Millipedes?

Everyone does not enjoy watching wriggling creatures infesting their house, and if you are not a fan, these guys can be nuisance pests.

While they are perfectly harmless, you still might want to get rid of them as best as you can. One simple method is, of course, just to pick these guys up and chuck them out. If you see several of them in one spot, bring out the ol’ vacuum and have at it.

If you are not satisfied with just chucking these guys out, there are other, deadlier ways to deal with them. However, be aware that many common insecticides used in homes don’t work on them.

For example, vinegar and Epsom salts, both very good insect killers, don’t do anything to them. You need to go to the next level, which includes dish soap water solution, boric acid, and diatomaceous earth.

Neem oil also works on them, but rather slowly.

Will Bleach Kill Millipedes?

Yes, bleach does work on millipedes, just like centipedes. Add a sprinkle of bleach to that dish soap-water spray we talked about earlier, and you’ve got an effective millipede remover on your hands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrap Up

That brings us to the end of this fascinating episode of the millipede’s eating habits. If you enjoyed reading all about these creatures, please give us a shoutout. And thank you for reading!