Black-And-Gold Flat Millipede

Fascinating facts about the Black-And-Gold Flat Millipede

• The very first North American myriapod ever recorded was this flat-backed millipede. It earned that spot when British zoologist Dru Drury described it in 1770, basing his work on specimens sent from Dinwiddie County, Virginia. That early description opened the door for centuries of study on a creature that still roams the same eastern woodlands where it was first found, linking modern naturalists directly to the species' historic discovery.
• Adult Virginia cherry millipedes can grow from just under three centimeters to almost six centimeters long, a range of 27 mm to 59 mm, and females are typically larger than males. That size gap is a clear case of sexual dimorphism, meaning the two sexes can be told apart simply by measuring them.
• Living in moist deciduous forests, mixed woods, and even sandy soils, the millipede spends its days under leaf litter, logs, or beside streams. Adults munch on dead leaves and rotting wood while juveniles feed on humus, turning the forest floor's detritus into nutrient-rich soil. By excreting fecal pellets that become humus, they accelerate decomposition.
• Female millipedes lay their eggs in a damp, protected spot, often beneath a log, where food will be plentiful for hatchlings. After three or more weeks of incubation, pale juveniles emerge, shedding skins and adding segments as they grow. The species lives for two to three years, meaning each individual experiences several molts before completing its brief life.
• When threatened, this millipede sprays a cocktail of hydrogen cyanide and benzaldehyde that smells like cherries or almonds. The toxin is so dilute that it isn't dangerous to people, yet experts still advise washing your hands after handling one.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia

At a glance

About the Black-And-Gold Flat Millipede

In the damp, hidden recesses of the forest floor, the Black-And-Gold Flat Millipede weaves a secretive path, its numerous legs rippling like a dark, liquid ribbon as it navigates the intricate network of decaying leaves and forgotten twigs. With each sinuous movement, this unassuming creature plays a vital role in the ecosystem, breaking down organic matter and recycling nutrients with quiet, unobtrusive efficiency. As it glides effortlessly across the moist, earthy terrain, its burnished gold and black hues seem to shimmer and glow, like the soft, muted tones of a summer sunset, imbuing this humble millipede with an air of understated, yet undeniable, beauty.

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