Giant Millipedes

 Juvenile Giant Millipede

Adult Giant Millipede in Defensive Position

Adult Giant Millipede over 4 inches Long

Subject: Lea County’s Giant Millipedes Are On the Move

With the recent heavy rains and higher humidity levels a nocturnal creature is crawling about and seen on many of the roadways in the late evenings into the darkness although totally unseen by most of Lea County’s population. It is the Giant Millipede, (Orthoporus ornatus),a 1,000 legged worm called by some folks.

There are many species of millipedes but this insect is one of the largest ones and ranges in New Mexico, Texas and into Arizona. It inhabits the sand dunes and brush country of Lea County. Periods of rainfall bring the millipedes up from the depths of their underground burrows and tunnels were they spend most of their life.

Millipedes are detritivores; animal that feeds on dead organic matter, decomposing plants and animal parts. Some detritivores are the common earthworm and the dung beetles found readily in Lea County.

Did You Know…

The millipede name comes the Latin mille for “thousand”and ped for “foot”.Hence the name 1,000 legged worm, but it is NOTa worm at all.

There are 10, 000 speciesof millipedes around the world.

Their colors depend on their habitat environment but varies from gold, yellow, orange, red to black.

The largest United States millipede attains an overall length of 4 inches to 6 inches.

Millipedes have a cylindrical body that is segmented with each segment having two pairs of jointed legs; each shedding of its exoskeleton produces another new legged segment.

They have unique sensory organsat the base of the antennae that can detect vibrations, humidity andlight.The vibration in close proximity will cause the millipede to go into a defensive mode by curling up tightly. They have a defense measure by exuding a chemical at the base legs in each segment of a foul smelling odor and a nasty acrid taste to would be predators.

Millipedes can live to be 7-10 years old.