Hi, it’s Sarah from the Wild Bunch here.
The many-legged insects seen while digging the garden or flipping rocks aren’t insects – they’re actually myriapods. Myriapods are a type of arthropod whose name quite literally means “countless feet”, and they’ve been around for over 400 million years. The largest arthropod, Arthropleura from 300 million years ago, was a millipede with centipede-like traits and was 2.6 metres long!
We have four types of myriapods in the UK: centipedes (Chilopoda), millipedes (Diplopoda), symphylans, and pauropods. The ones we’re most familiar with are centipedes and millipedes. These two terms are often used interchangeably for any multiple-legged creature, but in fact they’re very different.
There are more than 60 species of millipedes in the UK, although a small percentage of those are non-native, introduced in imported plants and living and thriving in large hot houses like the Eden project. Nature’s clean up crew, millipedes move slowly through the leaf litter feeding on decaying wood, plant matter, and fungi. They have two pairs of legs per segment and defences in the form of chemicals which they release when threatened.
Centipedes, however, of which the UK has more than 50 species, are fast! This is a necessity as they’re predators, hunting prey with speed and agility. They have one pair of legs per segment and are unique in how they kill prey – snails, slugs, earthworms etc – using toxicognaths, which are specialised poison claws that evolved 400 million years ago from their first pair of legs. Don’t worry though, UK centipedes lack strength, so bites rarely penetrate human skin.
Unlike millipedes, who provide no maternal care, centipedes are dedicated mothers caring for their eggs and babies fiercely. Some tropical species make the ultimate sacrifice by allowing their babies to eat them as a first meal!
Encourage leggy friends to your garden by avoiding pesticides and having log piles and leaf litter. These feed millipedes and the prey of centipedes.
Myriapods, though shy and unassuming, are very cool!
The Wild Bunch is run in partnership with Frome Town Council and Sustainable Frome. We run regular gatherings and events to promote gardening with wildlife in mind, so keep an eye on our website for the latest information.
