I only saw 2 millipedes after dark during the summer, and the other one wouldn't stop to let me photograph it. I am uncertain about the health of the one shown but it was still alive. Most of the segments on a millipede's body have 2 pairs of legs (contrasts with the centipede where each segment of the body has one pair of legs). Millipedes do not bite although many species can exude an unpleasant smelling fluid, in some cases containing hydrogen cyanide. Since most species feed on decomposing plant material, they help to recycle plant nutrients.
| Guadalupe Mountains National Park Arthropod Book | |
| General Index | Diplopoda Index |
Note: This is a personal web site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Contact information for the author, Ron Lyons, is accessible through the Index Page referenced below. Thank you.